Descendents of the Starnik
by The FalconWolf
Summary: The Starnik have left the world in the capable paws of the humans and wolves, one hundred years later, it has become what they wanted. The two species are in peace across the world, but not all is over. Jonah is a descendent of the Starnik, and when a twist of events threatens the Starnik bloodline and wolf kind once more, he must take the same action his ancestors once did.
1. Chapter 1

Descendents of the Starnik

Chapter 1: Great and Loved Ones lost

Everyone knows the story of the great Starnik, the ones who made the world as it is now. However, every Wolf knows that the story goes way deeper and further back, back to the story of the Original Starnik who started it all and failed. Three thousand years later, when a young boy stumbled upon something that changed his life, he and his new friend completed what they did not. Scott, you're everyday human and Rosie, you're everyday pup at the time stumbled onto a prophecy that changed their lives. They experienced hardships that tested their friendship and in the future their love. As their powers, derived from the gods and the prophecy they were destined for, developed, Rosie brought three more into their lives, her first children, Lupa and Dakota, half Starnik, half wolf, and years later, Myka, a direct descendant of the Starnik, believe it or not, far more powerful then her parents.

Still, their prophecy put them through trials, testing them and their limits. They never gave up, they met their enemies, they crushed them under their iron fists. They discovered new gifts and prophecies, they found their loves who gave them, and let them, carry on the Starnik bloodline. Little was heard of the Starnik in those final days; rarely did they make an appearance back in society. But why would they? The world was how they wanted it to be, Wolves and Human could walked together in peace, neither feared the other, things were happy. First America, after that the peace and love between the two species spread like a wildfire across the nations and countries until the world was working together. The Starnik were happy, they had smiles on their faces, so it was said. But now, they're gone…

"_My name is Jonah. Yeah, I know…another name in the family that finishes with "Ah"." _He opened his eyes from his deep slumber, greeting the dawn of a new day as it shines through the blinds of his window. The sun lit up this black pelt with the odd dirty brown part that looked like mud had been thrown at him. _"I'm three years old, a wolf. I live with my uncle, my mother's brother, Henry. He's pretty cool, for an uncle anyway. My parents died when I was young, my dad passed away from a heart disease and my mother literally died of heart break. Yeah, it can happen. I saw it."_ He rolls onto his front, slithering out from under the sheet of the bed in his room and arks his front and stretches out his front paws_. "I was left in his care when I was a year old, sure, I miss them, but I can't bring them back. We have so much in common, other then my mom of course. I mean, we both have the same eyes, in more then one way. Believe it or not, because nobody does, but we're descendents from Dakota's bloodline."_ He smacks his lips, thirsty. So he jumped down from the bed and walks out the room and along the corridor. _"We live in an apartment in San Francisco. I love it here, it's just great, so many nice people. Well, when I say "nice" I mean just the people who live in our area. Going into the city was a dangerous territory, for wolves and humans. Full of fast cars and shouting people."_ Henry is sat on one of the chairs at the bar table in the middle of the chicken, a raw steak on a plate before him along with a newspaper. He poked his reading glasses back up his muzzle and greeted his nephew a good morning.

"_Things have got to be a little confusing, so while I eat, why don't you listen to how things are these days."_

To get things straight here, things have changed, changed for the better! The Starnik are dead, this time they truly are. It's amazing how things can change in a little over one hundred years. Yes, believe it or not, it's been over one hundred years since the time of the Starnik. But now their descendents live on, hidden in plain sight, like Jonah and Henry here. When I say that it's amazing how things have changed, wheat I mean is how things have changed in terms of society. There were no issues with Wolves and Humans being in the same place, nobody gave each other strange looks unless they had a grudge against that particular person. It was like nothing ever changed. Wolves belonged in this world now, the two species laughed, partied and pups and children played together. It was perfect, for everyone. Sure, things weren't like you'd think they'd be due to the futuristic sci-fi films back in the last one hundred years. I mean, hardly anything has changed. But really, banking, home security, weapons technology, medical equipment, that's the kind of thing that has taken some big leaps, mainly to allow wolves to become more in touch with society and to make things easier and fairer.

Wolves had jobs, they were paid, they had banks accounts with paw pad recognition systems, those that chose to live in humans settlements used the same technology to get in and out of a home. A pad scanned their paw, the door unlocked, you pressed another on the other side and the door locked. No chances for lock pickers now these days. The same technology was used in payment as well, kind of like a credit card, only you scan your paws as a human would scan their finger print. So there was no longer any need to carry and credit card with the fear of it getting stolen or lost. It is cleverer and safer. And it wasn't just wolf that had these, humans did too. Living in homes or other places could be specially made for wolves, so lowered surfaces, tables, sinks, and baths. It wasn't a big deal. Believe it or not, America had its first wolf president twenty years ago, it was a historical moment. They worked as teachers, game keepers, that kind of thing. But there were also those that didn't chose to live that way. Many chose to continue to live in dens and caves in forests, away from civilisation. It was just how they wanted to live.

Medical research had taken a leap forward. Genetically made vaccinations gave wolves up to another eight years of life. When the drug was first brought out, each wolf that had a check up at a vet would have one, then that would be passed down through genes to their children, and then their children and so on. It was clever. These days you can find elders wolves living to be nearly twenty if they were lucky. Gadgets and gizmos made life easier, made especially for wolves. They could travel in airplanes, buses, underground trains, any kind of public transport they wished, anything a human could have done back before all this was possible. All thanks to the Starnik and their children.

Still, it's clear now that the Starnik were gone. But what of their children? It was already known that Rosie's first daughter, Lupa, had a litter of pups. So what happened to them? What happened to her other two children, Lupa and Dakota? Did they have children? Did their children have children? Does the Starnik bloodline live on?

"_Well, yeah, it does. I'm living evidence."_

"Morning buddy." Henry grinned."

"Why are you up so early? I didn't think you were working today." Jonah questioned as he jumped up onto the chair on the opposite side of the table, taking a deep inhale of the raw steak Henry pushed before him.

"I'm not, sleep didn't agree with me." He pushed his glass back up his nose.

"_He's funny. He needs the glasses to read and to do the tasks that require small things. He can't live without them."_

"Now I could ask you the same thing." He added before lapping up a glass of water beside him.

"The circus is back in town today. I was going to check it out." Jonah answered as he took a bite of the steak. Henry grinned ear to ear, feeling the need to tease come on.

"Ahh, so you're girlfriend is back in town is she?"

"God, she's not my girlfriend." He whined. "We're just close friends, it's not every day you come across another supernatural wolf, our kind is rarer then supernatural humans."

"It's good, you two can talk about these things." He nodded.

"She sent me a VIP pass, so I'm going to use it before she moves on again."

"What did you have to do to get that now?" He smirked and winked again. Jonah rolled his eyes but smiled nether the less as he continued to eat. "Just tell me, do I still glow?" Jonah looked to him at the tops of his eyes and nodded while chewing.

"Mm hmm." He answered with a mouth full before swallowing. "You always are, why do you keep on asking?"

"I'm just curious. I don't have powers, you're a lucky one." Once again, Jonah just rolled his eyes.

"The circus opens in an hour. This morning was literally going to be a case of eat and run for me."

"Well go on ahead; tell her I said hey for me."

"Of course, just let me sort myself out and I'll get going." Henry flicked over another page and Jonah left the table.

"_You see, things are great. I love it here, I love my life. Sure, I miss my mom and dad, and my life would certainly be different if they still were. But I can't not love the only life I've ever known? My ancestors, the Starnik, their genes have been passed down through the bloodline. Our eyes changed, but with our blood now mainly being nothing but wolf D.N.A, the chances of getting powers were slim. I was lucky, my uncle, not so much. He doesn't mind though, my mother didn't either and neither did her father. I'm the first to have powers in seven generations. My cousins, we've lost contact with them, also my other distant cousins from Myka and Lupa's bloodline. They must be out there somewhere, but where? I've still got family out there, somewhere, probably…maybe…I don't know!_

Jonah was out the door in no time, his VIP pass hung around his neck and walking down the outside stairs and inhaling the fresh morning air. They were lucky; they lived just down the street from Golden Gate Park, a beautiful place, most of the time. It had fresh smalls, unlike that it the city centre, full of damp, garbage and other strange smells. Still, he had to go in there most days. He was greeted by neighbours as he did back. He wondered in that moment, like he did rather often actually. What was this earth like one hundred years ago before the Starnik came? It can't have been like this, it can't have been anything like this at all. He was honoured to be a part of the family that made all this possible.

There was other reason he liked the park so much. Not only was it the usual place the Circus settled when it came here, but also because it was also where many street performers hung around, including supernaturals. Fire jugglers, conjurers, genuine psychics, telepaths, all of them busking basically. But they all had one thing in common, the same thing he and his uncle has, they all glowed as he looked at them.

The circus was in sight, set up in the middle of the park with people flooding in to watch and get the best seats. He flashed the ring-master at the entrance his pass and of course he was let in instantly.

The ring was set up; the small stall in the corner of the massive tent had customers for refreshments all ready, the stands had a number of spaces, one right at the back and the highest point, his favourite and the best spot in the circus. The curtains at the back hid what he came here to see, the spotlights danced around it while the audience gathered in the stands for it to start. Fifteen minutes of sitting in silence, the tent finally grew dim and the show began to start.

"_See, according to the history books, not much had really changed in the last hundred years."_

The ring master, dressed in his awkwardly tight, black trousers, red jacket and black top hat introduced the circus, only to have it rudely interrupted by the clowns flying on stage via the trapeze hung by the tent structure. They were the first act, and of course they were able to get a laugh out of everyone, it was their job after all. The many kids gathered around the very edge of the rung were fortunate to get the occasional splatter of water or a cream pie when they got that out. Jonah was safe up here, hence why it was his favourite seat, this way he was never one of the unfortunates who was dragged on stage with them. The next act, the ninja's, the extremely agile and very talented group of men in ninja costumes that juggled many objects, fought with sharpened weapons, climbed high structures and demonstrated their incredible gymnastic like skills.

A variety of people came on and off the stage, the clowns making more appearances then the others. A little girl came on with a group of people, she couldn't be more them seven years old and my god she was amazing. She was a part of some gymnastic routine that involved somersaults, trampolines and some kind of advanced cheerleading.

Two performers left. The show had been going on for a little over an hour by this point, nothing was a disappointment. That group of extreme gymnasts were on again, this time using their skills of strength and balance to make human structures, this time, a standing human pyramid. It was now at the point where they couldn't climb up, so running in from the main entrance, jumping on a small trampoline and landing on the next level's shoulders was the only option, until there was only on at the top. All together, ten people had gone into this routine, all wearing red caps to go with their costumes to add a little humour to it. But it wasn't over yet. Finally, the moment he had come here for was starting.

The tent was filled with a howl, a loud howl that silenced the music playing. Suddenly, a wolf came charging through from the main entrance, as fast as she could go and she wasn't stopping. She used the trampoline, sprung up and into the air, pulling off an impressive double somersault and using her front right paw; she balanced herself in a handstand on the top man's head, using her impressive strength to holding her position there. The tent erupted in claps and applauds, Jonah howled at the she-wolf at the stop of the pyramid, a blue glow shrouding her and confirming it was defiantly her.

"_Ok, I guess this is pretty confusing now. Yeah, I have powers, the only one in about seven generations of my family to get them. Like everyone in the Starnik bloodline, my eyes change, but I'm a little more then that. I have a minor power, one that allows me to sense out supernaturals and know what their powers are. I can literally sense out any supernatural I like and I can find them. I'm a supernatural tracker. For example, I look at Henry; he has a green Starnik glow around him, like an aura of some kind. Aquila up there, she's a supernatural, and by looking at her I just somehow can tell what her power is. But I'll leave that for you to see. So yeah, I'm no great supernatural like my ancestors. I can't heal others, I can't move things with my mind, or teleport, I can't do anything like that. Still, I accept anything and use it as a privilege. I'm VERY lucky after all."_

Aquila, she was a light brown coloured wolf with a white underside, but the white was rather unbalanced. It reached up to nearly her back in some places and nearly above her ribs in some. Still, it gave her a striking appearance. To keep in the Circus colour scheme, she had a red ribbon around her long main to give her a slight ponytail. Even Jonah admitted to her she was hot, they were flirty friends, neither of them wanted to be more then friends, it just wasn't what they wanted.

So after holding this rather hard position for a few moments, they all skilfully clambered down and the lights dimmed as they all prepared for the highlight of the show. When the lights turned back on. Aquila stood in the middle of the ring, a blind fold around her eyes and slice around her. Also a few standing and table. She waited, the audience waited. Jonah was pretty sure only he knew what was going to happen. Her ear twitch at a small sound behind her. Suddenly, from the floor, a spring loaded target in the shape of the clowns sprung up vertically. She whirled around and threw out her paw towards it, her act had begun. It was like the wavy lines you see rising from the concrete during heat wave flew out her paw, and when it crashed quickly into the target, it smashed into it and fell backwards. The audience applauded her as she spun back the other way when another target sprung up and she did it again.

"_Yeah, Aquila's power is much more impressive then mine. I knew it, somehow, the moment I saw her. She has a power that allows her to send out telekinetic bursts from her body. She can't lift things and move things like Scott Starnik could, she can only hit things and even blow holes in walls. Hence why these heavy targets were made out of iron."_

Still blindfolded, these targets popped up in numerous places, and each time she would spin around and knock one over with her power. Eventually, one came flying across from above via some kind of zip line. She heard that and threw out her paw and burst the balloon full of water on the unsuspecting audience bellow. After denting and knocking over twenty targets scattered all around the circus tent, six final ones sprung up all around her, surrounding her. She arched her pack, groaned and suddenly a pulse of the heat wave like blur erupted out of her in a dome and knock down all six targets standing six feet all around her. Her performance over. The audience were on their feet, clapping, howling and "whooping" her as she removed her blindfold and laughing. "Thank you ladies and gentlemen and good day!" The lights dimmed, and after they arose, she was gone and the ringleader was back in the ring, doing the final pieces and thanking everyone and so on. Jonah wasn't done yet, he had a backstage pass and he wanted to use it.

**I'm back! I'm never gone long after finishing a story, have you noticed that? The last one i just did was not really a serious one, i just had to do it though. This however is deadly serious. I hope you guys enjoy it. So Jonah, a direct descendant of the Starnik, lives on a hundred years later. What has his destiny got in story for him? Does Aquila have a part to play in it? Review and Read on to find out. Until next time. :D**

**The FalconWolf**


	2. Chapter 2 Minor Damage

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 2: Minor Damage

So now that the show was over, and while the clowns, ringmaster and a few of the other acts watched the audience leave and thanked them for coming while signing autographs, Jonah was able to weave around everyone and make it to the curtain at the back that concealed the rest of the acts. He wanted to see her; he probably won't get another chance after today. Immediately, he was hit with a problem. Where was she? Backstage was like a maze, a REALLY busy maze with people running around to get out and back in. It was hectic. He asked around if anyone had seen her, nobody had, she was either seeing out the audience, was around here somewhere or in her trailer, so he was left with one option. He looked around, not just using his eyes, but with his gift. He found a trail; of blue, kind of like as if someone has splattered paint across the floor and led elsewhere. He grinned as he found her aura she left behind and began to follow it.

He weaved around the acts, avoiding the caged animals the animal tamers performed with (none kept in bad conditions he assures you), all the way until he began to here her voice. "…I know it was sloppy, but I've told you we need a bigger tent. I don't have room for my act." He heard a very familiar voice. "We've just got to convince Rick, that's all."

"Yeah, but pigs will fly before that happens." Some Russian voice replied just as he stepped around the corner.

"Now that would bring a new audience." He smiled at the sight of the brown and white furred she-wolf. Aquila turned to see her best friend step into her sight.

"Jonah!" She practically screamed. He chuckled as he caught her in his paws, her tail wagging furiously. "I did see you out there."

"I was in the back, I wanted to surprise you." He let go of her.

"Well you sure did." She was smiling widely. "God, it's been too long, five months hasn't it?"

"Sure has, thanks for the pass." He flicked it with his paw as it hung around his neck.

"Please…" She scoffed. "I get three of those each show and you're the only one I send them to."

"What about your parents?" He wondered.

"My folks are always too busy, so are my brother and sister. They'd come if they had the chance." It was then a thought came to mind. "Let's take this back to my trailer, we've got a lot to catch up on." He nodded and began walking after her, but quickly they were stopped again as a man walked in front of the, carrying a large box.

"Girl, do me a favour, next time you stand on my head, cut your claws." He said as he dropped it and started walking back.

"I like them this way, wear a thicker hat then." She giggled as they walked out of the back of the tent. The small part of this part of the park the circus had preoccupied was mostly taken up by the tent, so the numerous trucks, vans and trailers were rather cramped in together, making a second maze for them to navigate.

"So you're not going to stay and sign autographs?"

"Me? I don't sign autographs; I don't have thumbs for starts." She giggled.

"Just out of curiosity, who do you share your trailer with? Surely not everybody has their own." There couldn't be one trailer for everyone, there had to be only around twelve trailers here, surely they must share.

"We do, I share with Melanie, she works on the lights and sounds. One of the many the audience never sees."

"So no guys?" They reached the trailer, a big, silver, shiny RV pretty much to be honest. Still, it was a home nether the less. She jumped up and pulled down the handle to pull the door open.

"Absolutely not." She replied. "Yes when we want a bit of fun, no to all the other times." She finished giggling.

"So dirty, what happened to the innocent pup I once knew?" He chuckled as he stepped inside and pulled the door shut behind them.

"Please, I grew up. A girl needs a little satisfaction every once in a while." Aquila winked as she jumped up onto the make shift bed and laid down with a loud, content exhale. "Ah…it's been a long day." She rolled onto her back, a happy smile on her face.

"How did you ever wind up in this life?" Jonah chuckled again and jumping up with her to sit beside her.

"You know that." She giggled again and looking up to him. "Rick, the ring master, saw me playing with my power when the circus came to town and offered me a chance to perform. I'm their main attraction now, their final act, I've only gotten better now that the Callen brother's taught me all their tricks the best that they could."

"Ever thought of doing gymnastics?"

"Naa, this is way more fun. The best job ever."

"This is off the subject, but Henry asked me to say "hi" for him."

"Aww, then tell him I say "hi" back. He's a sweetheart."

"I'll tell him you said that too." He lay down beside her, rolling his back half onto his side.

They spent the next few minutes catching up on old times, laughing over Aquila's adventures over the last few months and her misfortunes and laughable failed attempts during certain routines among hers and other acts. New plans, where they plan on going next, where they've been in these last few months, and all the things in between, all the way up to when the door suddenly swung open. "Aquila! We need…Oh crap!" The woman turned her gaze away from the two on the bed, despite the fact they were doing nothing but talking. "For goodness sake, not while we're touring remember!" She exclaimed. It only made the two laugh.

"Mel, this Jonah, he's my best friend." She dared a look back out the corner of her eye to make sure it was safe before looking back to her completely.

"Look, I'll apologise later, but we need you help." She looked desperate, both wolves sensed it.

"Why, what's going on?" She rolled onto her front and readied to get up.

"Well…your other "best friends" just showed up and they're currently setting fire to the tent."

"Oh you're kidding me!" Aquila exclaimed and launching herself off the bed wit Jonah following just behind her. She jumped out the doors, immediately jumping into a blast of the smell of burning and smoke. She looked to the tent to see the black smoke rising, as well as hearing the sounds of shouting, screaming and yelling.

"Who?" Jonah asked,

"No time, hurry!" The three began sprinting back to the tent, running around the vehicles and dodging the other people running around to help. Inside, it was chaos. The performers ran around with hoses, buckets of water, and inside the main ring, a group of people stood around with lights, sticks of fire, fuel, all trying to cause the tent to fire, now succeeding. The entrance was flaming and searing hot, the fire spreading as the eight men and two women walked around trying to set to more while the performers tried to stop them. "Not these guys again." Aquila growled and running towards them. "Hey!" She called to them, getting two of them to hear her. She used the trampoline that was still in the ring, pounced on it and jumped high into the air and threw out her two fore paws the knock them away with two separate blasts of energy. They slide across the floor and into the stands; this made everyone else aware of her presence. Jonah didn't understand anything, who were these guys, what was their purpose here. But then again, he did have a small clue as to who they were.

"There she is!" Someone bellowed.

"Get her!" One of the women screamed. Suddenly, two performers, the ninja like men came charging in from no-where, jumping into the space with her. "Boys, throw me." They nodded and stood either side of her. As the humans neared, she jumped into the air and the men caught her, then together, they threw her into the air and ducked. She went up, and as she came down, she tucked herself into a ball, and before hitting the ground, she threw out all her paws, creating a shockwave that pulsated out of her body, above the Callen's height but chest height of the other humans who felt the full force of it. It resulted in Aquila landing safely and the humans around them being catapulted back and away.

"Quick, let's get out of here!" Someone yelled from the group. They picked themselves up, groaning and whining, but alive, and running outside through a hole in the tent. They still couldn't rest, the fire needed to be put out, but here Aquila wasn't of any use.

"What the heck was that all about?" Jonah exclaimed as he trotted towards her. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." She panted. "It's not the first time we've met them before. They've followed us all the way from Atlanta."

"Was that…"

"COWEL? Yeah, it was." She sighed and shaking her head. People ran past them and started to extinguish the fire, lucky for them, it was under control in no time. "Well, on the bright side, we'll probably be getting a new tent now." She laughed feebly.

"_C.O.W.E.L, short for a stupid organisation, Cast Out Wolves for Equal Living. They were what you might think of as a petty and weak version of what my ancestors went up against over a hundred years ago. Only, they didn't have guns, and they didn't have the balls for doing the things the Ditori did. They were a weak protest group that have been around ever since the Starnik past away, and if it wasn't enough, they didn't agree with humans and wolves living together, this group is practically global, much like the Ditori, but did have the guts to do anything. Sure, they've killed the odd wolf every now and then to scare others and make a point, but they were never as sinister."_

"Why are they here? They don't have groups around these parts." Jonah asked.

"They've been following us ever since Atlanta; I may have pissed them off by walking by their place while they were there." She sighed.

"Don't worry gorgeous." A man said as he walked passed. "We won't let them hurt you."

"I know, thanks Hash." She smiled up at him as he walked on.

"These guys are assholes." Jonah added.

"Why can't your family still be around?" She wondered. "They'd deal with this." His eyes widened.

"Shh..." He seethed. "Keep it down." She couldn't help but laugh.

"Sorry, but it's true though." He smiled as her, put his paw around the beck of her head and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I know, still, you've got to keep that to yourself. Things will be fine."

"I know, sorry, I know I was a little loud." She then moved her head back away, smiling thankfully for the calming touch and affection. "Listen, why don't you head back to your place, I'll come by later on when we've cleared this place up a little?" She suggested. He nodded.

"Sure, just take care ok?"

"I can look after myself, you just be careful." She licked his cheek tenderly before he turned away and began to walk out the now smouldering plastic and burned fabric of the tent.

"_Honestly, COWEL are a stupid organisation with an even more stupid name. Honestly, COWEL? It's ridiculous!"_

As the day passed on by, nothing happened, during this afternoon. Apart from the fact Jonah walked in on Henry looking over and adjusted the family tree he had going in the study. It was his little project; he had everyone on this side of the family, going all the way back up to Dakota, Rosie and Shadow and sadly, no further then that. Nobody knew much of what happened after that generation, it was all a blur. It was known that Shadow came from Jasper Park in Canada, but any family he had that far was a mystery. Of course, the well know family Spirit Guide, Sarah was on it, as were her traitorous mate, Terry, who really didn't deserve a place on the tree, but he was family after all and had to be on there. There was also Scott, his parents, Jenny and David, then his child, Myka and of course there was also Lupa. Their children were on it, as were their children, the fourth generation of Starnik. Scott and Rosie being the first, Myka, Lupa and Dakota being the second, their children being the third and finally their children being the fourth. After that, Myka and Lupa's bloodline went in the dark, probably not together, but nothing had been heard of them since. So all Henry could do was track this side of the family. Still, they had family on this side they lost all contact with, but he wanted to try his hardest to find them, and what better way then to go through old family stories and try to figure out where they could have gone.

He enjoyed it, and quite often Jonah would help him, trying to sense out of there were any supernatural wolves in that direction. It was rare to come across supernatural wolves, so it was not often it happened. Still, it was fun and exciting each time it was brought out. Right now, it was in Aquila's sights as it hung on the wall.

"It's so fascinating." She mumbled in awe. "But a shame you can't find all of them."

"We still try." Henry chuckled from across the room on the chair he lay on. "Our family represents family. We look out for each other."

"Everyone knows that. You all taught us a great lesson, my parents used to tell me and my brother and sister stories of your family and the ones before them. It sounds so great."

"It was a long time ago." Jonah added. "The only things facing us in these times are the rent and getting a decent cab to town without having an accident."

"Don't forget COWEL."

"Please…Them? I hardly even think about them." Henry scoffed. "I'm more scared of food poisoning, and we hardly get that."

"Still, you aren't on their personal hit list are you?" She giggled and walking back to the sofa beside Jonah.

"You'll be fine; they're just trying to make a point that you shouldn't working and living alongside humans."

"I know, I just don't want the circus to fail because of me. I mean, they're being ruined because of me."

"You heard them, they want you to stay, you're their main attraction. The circus would be nothing without you."

"Thanks, but you can't help but feel guilty sometimes." She sighed.

"Things will be fine, while you're here; I've got a little something for you." Henry said before jumping off the chair and going behind it. It was a purple linen cloth, smooth and soft to the touch, much like a pup's fur. It was wrapped around something. He gently brought it around towards her, keeping a light and incredibly gentle grasp on it in his mouth.

"Oh Henry, you shouldn't have." She retaliated while he placed it at her paws.

"We think of you like family here, so I'd very much like you to have these and take good care of them, because here they'd only be damaged."

"Oh god." She muttered, was it something valuable? She didn't want to break them. She used her front teeth and pulled away one fold, then her fore paw to pull away the other fold, finally she was able to see what was underneath.

"Oh wow, feathers, you shouldn't have." She thanked sarcastically. Henry only chuckled as he sat back on his rump. The feathers were no ordinary feathers; they were two flight feathers, the long ones at the tips of the wings belonging to an eagle. Through the ends of them, a wire was strung through to make a loop of some kind.

"These aren't just any ordinary feathers Aquila." He told her.

"Are they…?" Jonah took a closer look, even he hadn't seen these, but he had to confirm suspicions. Henry nodded.

"These are the feathers worn by my many greats grandmother Chance, Dakota Starnik's mate." Aquila's eyes widened and her jaw dropped before she looked back down to them.

"Oh Henry, they're amazing." She wanted to cry, this was incredible. "But I can't take these, they are too valuable. I mean, these are your ancestor's."

"Exactly, and I would like you to wear them with pride. Around here they'd never be worn. I'm not having children any time soon, so I'd very much like you to wear them."

"Did you have anything to do with this?" She asked to her friend beside her. He immediately shook her head.

"Are you kidding? I didn't even know he had them. I thought they were buried with her."

"They'd look beautiful on you." Henry added. "I just ask you don't wear them while you perform, they're very old."

"Oh Henry, thank you so much." She practically threw herself at him as she jumped off the couch and wrapped her forepaws around him. "I'll take good care of them, I promise."

Meanwhile, a little further into the day as the night as beginning to set, a young wolf lay in a very scared place. This was two years old; nearly all grey in colour, but with hints of light tawny brown in splodges a few parts of his body. He was a curious young one, he was fascinated, mainly because this was a night he was waiting for nearly a while month. This sacred place was home to one of the greats a place nobody but he knew of. This was the former home of the great Starnik, their own temple in Idaho. Blake, a descendant of Myka's own bloodline, and his family had returned to their home town outside the forest which the temple was located. He was drawn here, and he and his family knew that the temple was out here somewhere, he was just the only one who wanted to find it so badly. And now here he was, lying in their sanctum!

But surely, back in the day it wasn't like this? There were burn marks in the middle of the giant room, the supposed waterfall that should be here was nothing but a little trickle. Bones of old and very dead fish lay in some pool underneath it. There was even a pile of rubble, rocks and boulders towards another side. This is what he found after he crawled through that gap in the side of the mountain that must have once been an old stream, now it was an empty tunnel. What was on the other side of that tunnel, he didn't know. Still, this place would do, it was perfect. He flipped open his notebook, mumbling to himself as he read his notes. "…under the full moon…" Were a few of the only words he only pronounced properly. He looked up through the gap above him, seeing the full moon shining brightly. He grinned, everything was perfect. He looked around him; it was a little dark for his liking. "Light it up with the power of the sun, with a wave of my paw, this spell shall be undone." He flicked his wrist up, and out of his paw a white light flew up and hovered high up near the ceiling. It illuminated the sanctum brightly, casting shadows around him and his notepad better. "Thank you grandma Myka." He chuckled at the power passed down to him. He then sat up, coughing as he prepared the next part of his spell.

"Through death you part from this earthly plain, travel here to become the seen. From highest heaven or deepest hell, come to me with the power of my spell." It was a tense moment, the energy built up in his body and his eyes flashed. But nothing happened, absolutely nothing happened and nothing changed, or so he thought…

Suddenly, some carved in symbols on the wall behind him glowed green, the bright light streaming out of the wall and into the room, creating more light then the light he made before. It was so bright he had to cover his eyes and then his ears as he began to hear the screeching of something and booming of something else. It hurt to say the last. But he couldn't take his eyes off what happened next. The lights then turned red and orange, a horrific atmosphere swapped places with the one present before. He didn't think it was going to be like this, he just wanted to speak to them, what was this?

Suddenly, a thick red and black mist spewed out of the symbols and came crashing down towards him. He rolled out the way, narrowly avoiding it. His eyes started to shine again, this time out of fear. The mist rolled, it rolled and rolled, and the more it did them more it began to fade and be replaced with a figure of a human. The lights faded until the only one around was the one was high above.

The human lay panting heavily, Blake wanted to simply speak to them, not summon them! He couldn't believe it, he resurrected one of them. "Sc…Scott?" He wondered. The human rolled onto his back, his eyes frantically looking up. What just happened, where was he? He sensed a portal opening and he took it. Blake approached cautiously, the human's clothes were burned, ripped, he reeked of death and burning. "Scott, my name's Blake, I'm your grand son!" He smiled. He wanted to simply talk to them, not bring them back. But this was great, if he brought one back he could bring the rest.

"My...grandson?" He asked weakly.

"Well, not really, more like a great, great, great, great, great, great, great ,great ,great grandson." He smiled. "I brought you back from the dead!" He was standing over him. "This is amazing, I only wanted to talk to you, not bring you back."

"What year is it? Tell me, where am I?" He asked as he remained on the floor. Too tired to move.

"You're in the temple in Idaho, it's 2122. You've been gone for over one hundred years!"

"So…You're a witch?" He questioned.

"The first in our family since Myka's daughter." He nodded. "Oh man, this is so great. Wait until dad see this."

"So you're the only one strong enough?" He rasped.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Why?" Suddenly, the human reached up, grabbed his neck and pulled him down towards him at the same time he forced a blade up and into his chest. Blake's eyes widened at the same time he yelped and he tried to call out in pain and for help, but nothing came out. What was this? His own family was trying to kill him! The human sat up, bringing Blake with him, a killer look in his eye. "B-Bu-But… We're…You're my…"

"You're my enemy." He growled. "You disgust me. You want to see your family? Go and join them." He grunted as he quickly removed the blade and the lights from Blake's eyes vanished after he let out a final yelp and he dangled lifelessly above the human's body as he held him up. _"First thing's first, where the fuck am I?"_

**_AHHHHH, WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED! Who is the human? What's going to happen next? Aquila has been given a precious gift let's hope she takes good care of it. COWEL, a minor retaliation group, while they play any part in the story or are they just something i decided to throw in for the heck of it? WHta's coming our way? I know! Roughly... Until next time!_**


	3. Chapter 3 Two Parties Become One

Descendents of the Starnik

Chapter 3: Two Parties Become One

"Oh Jackie…I'm so sorry to hear this, it's just…God…" This is what Jonah walked into the living to hear and see. Never had he seen a look on his uncle's face quite like this. Something had happened, but he couldn't ask now, he was raised to never interrupt someone while they were on the phone, so he walked by and into the kitchen to prepare some breakfast. Same old, same old, the fridge was stacked with raw meat, perfect, while he listened in on the conversation going on in the room next to him, he carried the cut of meat to the table to began his meal, firstly splitting it up in half for Henry also. He was also brought up to be polite, so this was him being it.

It wasn't for a little while, and when he was nearly done, that Henry came walking in, a long face with a saddened expression with a sigh escaping out of it. He shook his head as he hopped up on the table. "So who was that?"

"A distant relative." He exhaled loudly again and pushing his glasses up his snout after they slipped marginally. "I told you I've been trying to find the other bloodlines, right?"

"Yeah, but who was that?"

"That was Jackie, a relative from Myka's bloodline. There's been some bad news."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" He asked curiously. "This is great; we're getting the family back together after one hundred years."

"Her son was murdered last night." Suddenly, that gleaming looking in his eye faded.

"What?" He asked making sure he heard right.

"Believe it or not, they found his body in the temple our ancestors once lived in all those years ago. He was like you, had powers and was trying to do a spell, I guess someone found him."

"COWEL?"

"Maybe." He nodded. "He was stabbed, so maybe someone followed him there. There are investigations going on right now."

"Why didn't you tell me about this? I didn't know you found someone."

"I'll admit, it wasn't easy. I've only been in touch with them for a few weeks, they got into Idaho a few days back and we were going to arrange a time to get together. I guess we can now, his funeral is in a few days."

"That's awful." Jonah sighed this time.

"I know, we can only help the family, we stick together remember."

"I know, a few days you say?"

"Yeah, why, got somewhere you need to be?" He wondered and pulling a slight smile.

"Nope, just hanging until that time I guess."

"Well just be ready to leave at any time, we might need to get there a little earlier to support them."

"Sure thing." Jonah nodded. "Aquila and I were going for a walk and talk today, catch up on some things."

"Sounds good, just take care. After what happened yesterday I'm sure things will be a little dangerous out there."

"This is San Francisco Uncle Henry." He chuckled as he jumped off the chair. "The town is always dangerous."

Walking back to the park, Jonah found he was actually a little more on edge. These days, all wolves feared COWEL. They were the equivalent rioters, but really, it's because they were, sort of. So he found he was constantly watching his back, he had to be, if they were following Aquila then they could be around the next corner and there would be no stopping them. Yeah, they were an illegal group that the police and most of America knew of, but they couldn't be arrested over allegations or just protesting. They had to be caught red handed to be prosecuted, and nobody could catch these people in their acts. How could you support an attack without evidence after all? Exactly, you couldn't. They were slippery, so you had to watch your back when they were around.

So he was like this for the fifteen minute walk down and across the park, all the way to the circus tent which to his surprise was still standing with crowds of people lining up to go inside and see the show. But then…_"Ahh crap, I forgot my pass!"_ This realisation struck him as he approached. He couldn't get in unless he had it or a ticket, and in these times he was a little struck for cash. He seriously needed to get a job. Maybe the circus would hire him? Yeah, unlikely. He was at the front before he even knew it, and of course he was stopped by the man keeping the audience in line and waiting. "Look, I left my pass at home." He told him. "I'm a friend of Aquila's, I'm meeting her here."

"Sorry, unless you can prove that or have a ticket, I can't let you in." It was then that he saw that girl who came crashing into the trailer yesterday.

"Mel!" He shouted, quickly getting her attention. "It's me, Jonah; I'm a friend of Aquila's."

"Oh yeah, I remember you." He answered while she walked to the entrance.

"Can you tell me where she is? I need to talk to her."

"Bill, let the guy in, he's cool." He nodded, and stepped to the side to let Jonah passed. "She backstage in set up, you'll find her there. Just make it quick, we're starting soon."

"Thanks." He walked at a fast pace around the ring and behind the curtain, once again smelling our out while navigating the maze like structure the curtains made to make small changing rooms and other little rooms. And she was exactly wear Melanie told him she'd be. Sat in the make-up part of backstage, but being a wolf, it was obvious she didn't wear any. All she had done was her ribbon tied in the back of her long strangely mane.

"I would have thought the show would have been cancelled after yesterday." He smiled after seeing her. She looked in the reflection of the mirror as he walked towards her while the woman behind her tied the red ribbon.

"Hey you! I didn't think you were coming today." She grinned and wagging her tail in excitement a little.

"Of course, I love seeing the shows." He replied while jumping up onto a wooden box to the side but still in her view in the mirror.

"And the answer to your question, yep, the show must go on. It was only a little fire anyway, we repaired it the best we could."

"So no new tent?" He questioned.

"We need to get a new one anyone; they've had this hunk of junk for too long. I don't think Rick has much of a choice. Besides we can always pack the stands each show, so the bigger the tent, the more stands we can fit, and therefore the bigger the audience we can get and as a result of that the more money we make. It's a win, win situation really."

"You'll still have to convince him first." The woman behind her added as she pulled the ribbon tight and finished her work."

"It won't take long." She giggled. "Thanks Carrie." The woman then moved to the man sat in the chair next to her, by what was already painted in his face, Jonah guessed he was one of the clowns and a second later she spun the chair around, a devilish look on her face. "You know…I've just had a thought." He recognised that looked on her face. "How would you like to be a part of the show?"

"What?" He gulped.

"The show, I've just thought of something, a way we can have some fun together."

"Nu uh, no way, I'm not a circus act." He jumped off the box and stared backing away. "You have fun; I'll stick to the watching." Suddenly, he found he backed into something. Two men stood with crossed arms, looking down at him with the same grin as Aquila.

"Is there a problem here girl?" One asked.

"Nope, not anymore."

"Oh that's right; send your ninjas' to stop me." He whined.

"Oh I don't need ninjas, I just need you."

"Next ladies and gentlemen…!" The ringmaster called out through the microphone as the show came to a close, only one act remained, their highlight, and one that is quite a…"blast". Behind him, something big was concealed behind a big red curtain. What was it? "We have our spectacle, something special and a once in a life time chance to see. Give it up, for the one, the only…Aquila!" The crowd erupted into applause and as the ringmaster ran off to the side, Aquila came running on from the other. The crowd whistled, shouted, clapped, all eager for the highlight of the show to start. She motioned behind her to a group of people ready to pull on a rope, which they did and the large curtain lifted up revealing one of those giant pools of water with three seats and three unfortunates sitting on them, each one connected to a slab which if pushed would send them down into the water. Adding to it, Jonah looked down to see the pool was not full of water at all, but goo, gunk and other horrendous liquids. He sat on the middle seat, the two clowns sat on one either side of him. They were hear because they were asked to, and seeing as it was a part of their job and they were there to be funny, they didn't have much of a choice.

"I hate you." Aquila was able to make out her friend saying before turning back to the crowd as someone came running on stage and tied a blindfold around her eyes and pointed her in their direction before running away again. "Wait, this wasn't a part of it." He gulped.

"She doesn't miss." The clown to his right said. She grunted as she lunged out and tossed her paw towards them, the heat wave like blur flying towards them at the speed of a bullet, but narrowly missing Jonah's head and instead she blasted a hole through the wood beside him. His eyes widened as he looked at the hole, and then he looked to the clown. "Normally." Even he seemed to have a fearful moment just then. Suddenly, she did it again, and this time she struck true and that man he was facing fell as the seat he sat on gave way. He plummeted into the gunk, the crowd laughed as he resurfaced and it appeared to stick to him. He gulped and gave Aquila an angry glare while she peeked under the blindfold. Suddenly, the second on his right cried out as he fell and sunk into the goo. One left. The crowd began to chant "sink the wolf"; clapping to raise the tension Jonah was already feeling. He had to get out of this, so while Aquila was absorbing the praise, he looked for a way out. He couldn't jump down; he was too high and out of reach. He looked down at the clown who began some sort of fight in the pool; no way was he joining them. He looked up as Aquila prepared to hit his pad and make him fall; above him was a trapeze, one of those bars the acrobats swing from. It was his only chance. Aquila threw her paw in his direction and he jumped.

She didn't know what happened, all she heard was the audience laughing, so he must have fallen in. If only she had a camera, she'd take a picture of this and show everyone she knew. But she quickly became disappointed after lifting her blindfold. The seat was had dropped, but he wasn't in the pool, instead he had his forepaws wrapped around the trapeze above the pool. She was disappointed to say the least, she wanted to pleasure of sinking him in the mixture beneath him. He laughed down at her while she now glared up at him. But then another realisation hit her, and soon her glare turned into a massive grin. He tilted his head as his legs dangled down, what was she smiling about now? He looked down passed his paws, down into the pool where the clowns chanted with the audience "Let go!" over and over again while clapping with a steady and increasing pace. Aquila smiled smugly up at him, and quickly he soon realised the same thing. How does he get down?

He was too high to swing and dropped onto the safe floor, he'd hurt himself. He had nowhere else to go, nowhere else to climb down. The audience clapped faster and shouted louder for him to let go, Aquila sat back, waiting for him to do so patiently, he had to sooner or later. Jonah growled to himself, this was only going to end one way. He closed his eyes, he gritted his teeth and shook his head, then he let go, falling into a painful belly flop into the pool to sink. He disappeared, the crowd clapping and "whooping" him as Aquila ran to the pool side to look into the depths. He resurfaced practically screaming, crying out, his body covered in red, green and other colourful gunk. "I hate you, I hate you so much!" He bellowed at her as he swam to keep himself above the liquid.

"You love me for it, really you do." She giggled.

Meanwhile, while things were happy in one place, in this place, things were far more sinister. COWEL had gathered in one of their many meeting points across the country, this one, Salt Lake City. Sixty had gathered in this large, abandoned warehouse in this part of the district, an old aircraft hanger really. These were all the people who could make it from one hundred miles around it, they had many more, but not all could make it. They were a prissy little group, mostly bark and no bite, but they did have the occasion where when they did bite, it wasn't pretty. They wanted wolves back in the forests, not mingling around humanity. That is not how nature intended the grand design to work out. Humans are the top species of the planet, they should be ruling like they once did, not sharing with four legged creatures that can't even do the most basic of human tasks. This isn't how the world should be, no matter who made it this way. This group only started taking actions after the Starnik died, they were too fearful to make themselves known. But now they were gone, they could make their views known.

Men and women had gathered here. These people were more or less runaways from the law; police were after them for their hate crimes against Wolf kind. So their clothing wasn't all that great and was mostly scruffy looking and tattered. Some even lived here in these COWEL safe-houses, their formers homes no longer safe to stay in. A man stood up front on a row of wooden boxes, their "stage" really, it's all they had so every could see and hear him properly. They needed a moral speech. "As you all know, we sent a group of our brothers and sisters to further destroy what is left of the travelling circus we encountered in Atlanta!" He shouted across to everyone. "We heard back, it seems they have not been stopped."

"Kill the bitch!" A woman's voice erupted out of the crowd; several others mumbled and shouted in agreement.

"Her time will come; these creatures do not deserve a place amongst us." Once again people started to mumble in agreement. It was also at that time the doors in the side of the hanger opened and a hoodie figure walked in, his head held low, but nobody paid any attention to him as he walked around through the shadows. "They need to return from the pits that spawned them; they must all go back to the forests that cover much of out beloved country!" Still, people agreed, shouting back at him and nodding.

"Is this what we've let ourselves come to?" A short, black haired woman asked as she stepped onto the boxes with him. "What ever happened to the home of the free and home of the brave? I thought this was supposed to be a free country, not one that bows down to others?!" Still others agreed, but that man never said a word, he leaned against a stack of boxes, keeping his head low and listening keenly. "The Starnik come into our world, they change the way things should be. They wanted only one thing, to let wolves be a part of our world, the world that we humans owned once before! They didn't care about us, they wanted only what was best for the animals that should be bowing down to us, not living in houses and even becoming president!" She was shouted at with additions to her statement, all in all agreeing with her. "We can't let them do this, we must find more who agree with our beliefs, we must be rid of the wolf menace once and for all. We must reclaim our rights and put the dogs back in their place!" He lifted her hand into the air, and other copied her and applauded her speech as she jumped down, and that's when the man made his move. He approached her, his head still held low with his cap and hood covering most of his face.

"That was quite a speech." He informed her.

"Spoken from the heart." She replied. "They can't stay here, they need to return back to the shadows and never see the light again."

"I can't agree more." He grinned with a croaking voice. "But what is this pathetic shit?" She then growled.

"Excuse me?" The man who stood with her asked. He then turned his back to them.

"What has this world come to?!" He shouted for all to hear. "A world where wolves live among us, play with our children, live in our streets, even work among us. And all there is to go against this is a pathetic protest group who dare not lift a finger in the face of the police." Everyone backed away from him, bringing their own conversations to a silence and creating a circle around him. "A century ago, there were those, like you, who stood for what you believe. That wolves should go back to the forests that spawned them."

"You're talking about the Ditori?" That woman questioned. He spun around to face her, eager to know how she could know them.

"You've heard of them?" He questioned. She nodded.

"Back in the time of the Starnik, my great grandparents stood alongside a man who fought them to keep wolves away. But because of him, they failed and the Starnik succeeded."

"But the Starnik are gone now." He croakily laughed. "The Starnik are gone!" He shouted again and walking back to the middle to the circle. I fought them a century ago, I watched as many good friends and colleagues died before me to try and make the world how you want it. We failed, and now because of me, we let the Starnik manipulate the world into how we see it today." He paused for a moment, the people around him mumbling to themselves and others.

"Who are you?" That man asked from beside the woman. "How could you have fought the Starnik?" He grinned again and pulled back his hood and threw off his cap.

"My name is Sam." He answered with his eyes swirling and pulsating a Starnik green. "I am the leader of the Ditori who carries Starnik blood in my veins." People gasped, people questioned to themselves and others how this was possible. The answers came pretty quickly. "I've spent the last one hundred years in hell, burning, listening to others screaming, watching others walk through the flames of Satan as I was forced to and was never able to let it end and with no place to escape." Suddenly, that man who led the group flung his arm out towards him, a knife slipping through his fingers and soaring into Sam's gut. In this mind, this man was crazy, he was a Starnik, he was responsible for making the world as it is now. Sam seethed and clutched his stomach, groaning away the pain before standing back up straight. They two men locked gazes for a moment, right before Sam took a hold of the blade and slowly began to pull it out before throwing it on the floor with a loud metallic clung. He lifted his shirt, and every gasped in wonder at the sight of the blood trickling up his front and back into the wound before it sealed itself shut. He then dropped his shirt, and the man gulped.

"I possess Rosie Starnik's power of immortality!" He yelled. "I can't die, I came back from the fiery pits of hell to find everything me, my colleagues, my father, and his father before him tried to work for has failed. And our reputation has been left in the hands of you sorry people." He eyed them all, they all feared him. "Now I have come to make a deal with you." He turned back to the man and woman; clearly to him they must be the leaders. "I will share with you my power and knowledge of the Ditori, and give you resources and weapons, but only if you stop this petty excuse of a group and really grow some balls. If you want a chance at winning this war between us and them, you need to start stepping up a gear. Now who's with me?"

He looked around him, clearly people wanted to say yes, but many were afraid of the outcomes to this crusade. Many scratched the backs of their heads, other muttered to each other wondering what they'd say.

"I'm in!" The woman raised her hand. Sam smiled at her. Soon the man stood next to her with his hand raised. Moment's later; many more stepped forward, raising their hands. Sam smiled even wider. It was time he took back what the humans deserved, the world...

**AAAHHHHHH! What the heck! Baddies coming back to life, Sam is back for more, Jonah is covered in some pretty bad stuff. TOO MUCH! _*Shakes head and realizes something*_ Ah..sorry, i think the craziness of working with Bastard of North is getting to me. Anyway...Yeah, it was pretty obvious it was Sam, as many of you guessed. He's back and ready for round two of war. Jonah and Aquila seem to be in the middle of some love-hate relationship, oh well, they're friends, they'll make up sooner or later. Until next time. :D**

**The FalconWolf**


	4. Chapter 4 New Moves

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 4: New Moves

"I hate you." Jonah grumbled as he shook himself dry and free of the…he dared not think what was in there. He swears he could smell fish though, really bad fish! He reeked, and he glared at Aquila the entire time he was now trying to dry himself off who only sat to the side giggling and laughing away at him. This was a love hate relationship they had, but in the end they were always going to be friends, not matter what they came across.

"The audience loved it." She stifled another giggled. "We should do this…"

"Never!" He snapped and interrupting her. "Do you even know what was in there?!"

"Nope, that's not for me to decide." She couldn't contain her laughter anymore. He growled quietly and stormed outside the back entrance in a paddy. "Oh Jonah, come on, it was funny!" Aquila giggled again and following after him.

"For you anyway! I'm not a part of the circus!"

"Neither are the audience at most times, yet we use them plenty of times." She followed the retching scent he left behind all the way through and passed the trailers and caravans to a patch of wild lavender bushes. Here she found him rolling around in them on his back and side, trying ever so hard to be rid of the horrid smell. "I just feel sorry for Henry now; he's got to put up with it."

"Just tell me how to get this smell off!" He exclaimed and whining in agony as he squirmed and writhed in the lavender.

"Just take a long shower." She laughed. "It'll wash right out after a while." He stopped, flopped out and groaned loudly. "I hate you…so much." He laughed and cried at the same time.

"You love me for it." She teased. "Come on; let's get you home so you can wash. Don't want you stinking out the tent now do we?" She grinned and turned around, perfect. He grinned himself and jumped to his paws, and while her back was turned, he leapt at her, tackling her and pinning her to the ground. "Eww, Jonah, get off! You stink!"

"Now you do too!" He replied and keeping her pinned. Suddenly, she grunted and arched her back, he was blown away, literally, as one of her domed blasts erupted out of her body and he soared off her, into the air a couple of feet and then back to the ground. He landed with a thud and a groan, a good bruise he was going to be left with on his side later on he pictured.

"Great, now I stink!" She exclaimed and smelling her back and sides. "I hate you Jonah!"

"You love me for it." He smirked. She was going to retaliate to that, when quickly she realised what he as talking about, he used the same words as her. She was left wit her mouth hanging open, trying to think of a comeback. She never came up with one. So instead, she had to resort to violence. She sprung up to her paws; quickly Jonah did the same and started running with all his might away from her.

"I'm going to kill you Jonah!" She screamed as she charged after him and he ran away towards the place he really needed to be right now, home!

He didn't think she would, he thought he'd lose her by the end of the park, but no, she chased him all the way home. She had her reasons as well, she was hoping she could use their shower; the one in the trailer wasn't exactly great now. Still, her main reason was to catch Jonah which she was going to do at some point. They weaved around people, narrowly avoiding colliding with many. He tried to lose her via veering through the alleys, but she was always able to smell him out with now issues. It soon turned into a game of tag around the city. Whenever he lost her, she smelt him out and found him again. They took a rather long way home, a more scenic route. The apartment was pretty much opposite the San Francisco memorial, but they ran north through the Richmond District, all the way up to the Presidio of town where Jonah was able to lose her for a few moment a couple of times, then east to south bay, then along the coast to the memorial and then finally to the apartment.

Of course people stared at the as they ran, after all, was it violence or something? Where they just playing around? Nobody knew, so how were they supposed to take it? Jonah had some distance between him and Aquila, he ran to the door, after he climbed the stairs outside, jumped up and pressed his paw against the plate for it to scan and let him in. It was a long procedure. "Come on, come on!" He muttered to himself, watched the light scan his pad and looking constantly to his left and waiting to see her running towards him. That moment came sooner then he hoped, and suddenly she veered around the corner. The door beeped and unlocked, so quickly he pushed it open and dashed inside to shut it again. Sadly, she was right on the other side and pushing against him.

"Not so fast boy!" She groaned as they pushed against each other. He fought her, the door never moving as they pushed against each other.

"Jonah?" Henry shouted from the living room. "Is everything ok?" He gave up this never ending battle and let go, letting Aquila win and fall through the door. Jonah began his run again as she picked herself up, and now the game continued into the home. He jumped onto the couch, running along it with her right behind him. Henry was sat n the couch beside it, sadly, in their way, so they clambered over him. "Hey. Take it easy guys!" He laughed as they clambered over him, once again, sadly giving him a nose full of that smell. Aquila jumped and tackled her friend, bringing them both to the ground and beginning a new fighting game. Henry, still trying to figure out what had happened, now had to wonder what that smell was. Never had he smelt it before and it made him retch at first. "Ok, Jonah, what have I told you about playing in the sewers?" He cupped his paw over his mouth.

"It wasn't me!" He exclaimed as he pushed Aquila way and picked himself up. "It was her! She pushed me into something at her show."

"And he now makes me smell of it!" Aquila added with a laugh.

"For goodness sakes guys." He shook he head and clambered off the chair he was on. "Both of you, take a shower while I open some windows."

"Shotgun!" Aquila shouted and making for the corridor before Jonah had time to react. "Ladies first!"

"Just don't take long." Jonah whined and laying down on the floor, not wanting to let the furniture smell like he was. By now, Henry had pushed open all the windows he could reach in this "made for humans" apartment, there were many he couldn't reach. "Sorry about all this, I didn't want this to happen."

"Don't worry; it's not the most horrific thing I've smelt on you." He winked as he climbed back onto his chair. Jonah blushed heavily.

"Come on, I thought we agreed never to bring that up again."

"I'm going to remember it for ever, the day my favourite nephew came home smelling of mating." He chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm your only nephew Uncle."

"Just…stay there for the time being, you stink."

Meanwhile, at this exact time and date, across in Salt Lake City, new plans were being made. It was now no secret that one of the great leaders of the old organizations one hundred years ago had been resurrected. How, he didn't share, but Sam was back, that's all he cared about. He thought hell was tough, try waking up back to a world where everything is exactly how your nightmares are like. Wolves walking around happily with humans, living in their towns, working on stores and other places, living as humans! It was his own personal hell once again. Still, nothing is lost. Admittedly, and even thought he failed, he was the only leader of the Ditori that was able to outsmart the Starnik several times, able to come up with plans to fool them, and develop a way to be rid of their powers. But sadly, that serum was lost with the rest of everything they had. Either, as he remembers, at the bottom of the seas or amongst the rubble of where they hid in plain sight.

But now he was given a second chance, all thanks to one stupid wolf, and none better then a descendant of the Starnik, whom of which was lying in a pool of his own blood. Perfect, but then again, not so perfect, still, he now had a plan. He wanted revenge; he wanted what he had wanted for many years before he died. To paint the earth's crust in Starnik blood, and by the looks of the wolf he killed, they were now dumber then ever. He had gotten rid of the only wolf strong enough to send him back with a few words, nothing could stop him now. Scott and his friends were gone now, that much he was certain of thanks to the help of these people, so now he could eliminate the rest of them. But how many of them were there? How quickly have they bred and spread across the country. Where even were they all?

He leaned over a table, studying a map of the USA, trying to still understand the fact things aren't how he left the world in. He had been pointed out to multiple COWEL safe-houses, and many town wolves liked to settle. Still, it enraged him to know where they were now. Behind him, the leaders of the group stood, talking quietly to themselves. Could they trust him? Sure, they could use his help, but could they trust a man who already failed and walked in on their group and started calling all the shots. "Let's just give him a try." The man whispered. "He could be of great use to us."

"We can't exactly kill him if this doesn't work can it?" The woman snapped back quietly. "He needs to go, he can't stay."

"Just…give him a chance, alright?" She growled to herself under her breath while she nodded. Then together, they approached him. The woman however, took a far more dominant way of walking and grabbed his shoulder to turn him around.

"Look, I don't know what you plan on doing here and with us. All we want is your help o get this done." She said sternly. "Once that's over, you leave and don't come back. You already failed once, we don't accept failure here." With her threat over, she turned around and walked away towards another group.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked to the man beside him.

"She's just stressed, don't worry about her, she'll come around." He shrugged. Sam understood, and the two men looked back over the map.

"I was resurrected here." He pointed to the map, above Idaho and the location of the temple. "It was where the Starnik once lived and it's were one of them brought me back."

"They're still alive?" The man questioned. "That's not possible."

"Not one of them, one of their descendants." Sam replied. "He's now out of the picture, but his voice was young, so surly his family couldn't have been far away."

"Why are you so bent on finding them?"

"They took everything from me, including my life. I want to see to it that they get what I got."

"So hell?" He then wondered. Sam looked at him out the corner of his eye. "What's it like?" He smiled. Why was he smiling?

"Hot." He answered with a loud exhale and looking back to the map. "Here was a place they once stayed, North of Vancouver." He pointed to the area at the very top of the map. "I know it's been a while, but if it's still operational then they might have friends over there or at least information of their whereabouts."

"You've been gone a hundred years." The woman said as she came up behind him again, a slightly calmer expression on her face. "Things have changed; places that they might have been won't know anything about the Starnik or their families." She crossed her arms, unimpressed that this guy new so little.

"Then you can help him." The man added. Instantly, the woman's face instantly widened and dropped.

"What?" She asked back.

"You can find them." He said again.

"Who are you people exactly?" Sam asked, trying to get some things straight.

"My name is Nathan, this is my girlfriend Evelyn." He answered. "Sam, Evelyn here would be honoured to help you."

"Really?" She scoffed. "What makes you think that? Want to tell him more of my secrets?"

"Sure." He said. He tutted and dropped her hands to her sides, annoyed that he was doing this, yet she expected it, he always did things like this. It was one of the many things that made him attractive. "Evelyn here is our resident supernatural." He answered.

"Really?" Sam questioned curiously with a slight grin. "Tell me, what can you do?" Evelyn eyed her boyfriend menacingly, annoyed at him.

"I'm a tracker." She answered after a moment. "Give me something that belongs to the one you want to find and I can find them anywhere in the world." He was sensing she wanted to say something else.

"But…?" He asked.

"But…sometimes it doesn't work." She admitted. "I can't always find them or get an exact lock on where they might be. I can't do it without something that belongs to them or a part of them. So fur, hair, something like that. There are a lot of complications to this."

"I'll say." Sam muttered. "But this is good, we have one way now."

"You say you want to make us great like your organisation was." She then added. "How?" He cracked a grin.

"I know a few places."

As mid-day approached fast, Jonah stepped out of the shower, shaking dry before he did of course, all before he stepped back out and into the living room. Aquila was licking down her fur, drying it faster and brushing down the parts that stuck up. She wasn't one of perfect fur, but she didn't like a complete scruffy look either. Henry was out on the balcony, taking in the sunny rays and heat and looking over the park right behind their home and the memorial a little further onward. It was a nice view, the sea, the memorial, the park; it was a nice place to live. San Francisco was one of the best places for wolves to be to be honest. There were many areas were nature roamed. "Jonah, it's not polite to stare." She giggled.

"I wasn't." He chuckled. "How can you accuse me of staring when I wasn't even looking at you?"

"Then what were you looking at?" She teased. He caught onto this and just shook his head as he walked passed and outside. He reached up and placed his forepaws on the balcony to get a better look rather then through the glass. "We've seriously got to take a vacation." He said.

"Really? Why's that?" Henry pondered.

"Think about it, when was the last time you went out of the city?" Henry had a good thought, eventually coming to his conclusion. "Exactly, too long ago." His loving uncle laughed quietly, pushed his glasses off his nose and jumped up next to him.

"Why would we need a vacation?" He asked back. "Never, not when we have the sea right there, the park just down there and a view that goes on for ever." The apartments were built on a hill, so the side with the front door was only around fifteen feet off the floor. This side, it slanted quickly, bringing them up higher to around double that. It was a stupid place the build a set of them to be honest. Yet it provided a lovely view.

"There's no beach for starts." Jonah quickly added. "There's no real woodland other then the park." It was then that an idea struck him. "We should just leave one day, go out for a walk in some forest, get lost and spend a night in a den and then keep going until we find out way out again." This made his uncle laugh.

"So much like you're mother." He nudged him with his side. "Always so adventurous." Aquila then hopped up beside her friend.

"I'd be up for that." She added. "I hardly ever leave the circus other then to see you guys when we come here. I don't think I've ever seen the inside of a forest in over three years."

"We're five years old." Jonah smiled. "We've got plenty of time."

"You kids maybe, I'm eleven, I've got six years at best." Henry added.

"Well then we'd better hurry, I'm not going without you Henry." She snapped. Then something caught his attention.

"Where are the feathers? I'm surprised you're not wearing them." He asked.

"They're in my trailer. A safe place before the show started. I told you I'd take good care of them." She reassured.

"Good, I'm glad you're taking good care of them."

"They're beautiful; I still can't believe you've given them to me."

"Like I said, I'm not having children anytime soon, and being the only young girl I know I thought it would be best for you to have them."

"What about Jonah though?" She questioned. "What about when he gets married and has kids."

"I don't need to get married." He laughed. "I've got everything I need right here, I've got my uncle and my best friend right beside me, I don't need anything else."

"We think of you as family here Aquila, and what do we do with our family? We…"

"…Look out for each other." All three of them finished.

**So Sam is a man with a plan, what's he going to do to complete his plan? He wants revenge on the Starnik, so what best then to go after their powerless relatives! Jonah is in danger, so is Henry, will they find out before or not until it's too late?!**

**Another note guys, if you're getting bored, it's because i'm trying to add as many things as i can to try and make more chapters and therefore make a longer story. Just letting you know. :D If you can, leave a review, not only because i like to read them, but also because i'd like to know I've still got you're interest ****in this. It would just make my day. Until next time. :D**


	5. Chapter 5: The New Power

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 5: The New Power

The heavy, iron doors to the cargo container cranked and creaked open, the rust adding to the weight proved it to be harder then they all first thought. The rust had only sealed it all together and made it harder to open. Sam knew just as well as COWEL, that if they were going to start an uprising, then they'd not only need to grow a pair, but they'd need weapons. So Sam brought them to the one place he was sure would still be full of them. An old Ditori armoury, a secondary safe place to keep them should they desperately need them. They had several of these spread around the country, used only in the most desperate of situations. Sam was the last of the Ditori, so he had the biggest reason to use this.

This one armoury was in Sacramento, in a storage facility with over one hundred of these cargo containers. With Sam, Nathan and Evelyn along with five others came to investigate; the rest of their organisation had the task of spreading the word across the states and country to their fellow members about the uprising. But first, they needed to be prepared. The lock was cut, and the doors pried apart and before them…nothing. "What is this?" Evelyn asked as they all looked into the container.

"What for it." Sam replied excitedly while stepping inside. What for what? It was empty! Or so they thought. He bent down and took a handle in his and. A metal ring in the floor? What was this? He gave it a pull, it didn't budge. So he signalled for Nathan to help him, who gripped the ring with him and together, after some straining and groaning, the ring came up with a part or of the steel floor, underneath it a hidden stairwell. Dust and bits of rust spewed into the air, the air itself rushed do the passage after being free of it for so long; bring the dust down with it. "This was where we kept everything should things go ape-shit." Sam said as he led the way down, flicking a switch just underneath the door and turning on the lights leading far down the stairs. "Looking at how things are, I'd say we'll be in luck, I don't think anyone has found this."

"Surely it should have been repossessed by now?" Evelyn questioned. "After all this time, somebody must have wondered why it was still here amongst everything."

"We had people everywhere back in the day, they kept places like this a secret and came up with the explanations to what we did, keeping us and our activities a secret also. I guess someone made sure it still did after the Ditori was finished." Sam answered. Evelyn told one of her men to bring a vehicle to the top of the stairs and wait there while the other went deeper.

Coming to thirty metres underground, they reached the bottom of the stairs and Sam stepped down proudly, whereas the others…not so much. The room was dark, barely any light down here. Before them, a wooden crate lay which when Sam pried open with a crowbar, only had five rifles inside and a small wooden box full of ammunition. "Yep, still here." He grinned proudly.

"Wait, this is all there is?" Nathan exclaimed. "I thought you said this was an armoury, not a friggin place to keep five rifles."

"Please…" Sam scoffed before he walked back to the wall and flicked another switched. The lights above them switched on, then another a little way down the room, then another, and another once at a time. Each one lit up the room more, showing the room went back at least another twenty metres, also lighting the walls with multiple guns of different kinds hung there and crates spread around the ten metres wide room. Their jaws dropped, this was insane and incredible at the same time.

Within moments, they were filling up spare crates and boxes with as much as they could cram inside them. Sam however, he had his own quest he eventually sought out. Picking up a revolver from the wall, he was marvelled at how light it was, much more then he remembers. "Ahh, hey baby, long time no see." He chuckled as he looked it over. Sure, it wasn't his own, personal one he used to kill the Starnik once, but this was more or less identical. He gave it a little spin around his finger, gripping it tightly afterwards and pointing it in a spot on the ground to check the sights.

"I thought you brought us here for guns." Evelyn questioned. "Not toys." Sam was hurt to say the least.

"This, my dear, is the type of gun I once used to kill the Starnik." He answered and facing her. "It's light, powerful and accurate."

"I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about all of this?"

"Please don't tell me you have laser guns now." For the first time, he made her laugh.

"Not yet." She shook her head. "But these days, you can buy weapons far greater then these."

"Take what you can get." Sam replied and sliding his new weapon into the holster strapped to his leg. "Back in my time, these were the best weapons you can find."

"This isn't the 2000's anymore, this is one hundred years later, things have changed." Nathan added as he walked by carrying a box of ammunition.

"I know, it's my worst nightmare." He grumbled at the thought while kicking a second box towards the pile they had made at the bottom of the stairs.

"So this deal we have." Evelyn added. "Are you going to stick to it?" She asked.

"I'm a man of my word." He replied. "Why, don't trust the British?" He joked.

"Of course I do, it's just you were very well known for your lies." Sam spun his head around; her face was confident and unafraid.

"You don't know anything about me." He growled.

"Actually, I think I know more about you then anyone else on this planet…Sam Jameson." He hated his surname, hence why he never told anyone it. He wanted a reputation for being tough and fearing, not pathetic as his surname gave him. He walked right up to her face, a determined and threatening look on it.

"How do you know my last name?" He demanded. "Nobody does."

"You told one person." She answered. He tried to think, who did he tell that too? Well, there was one person, the only person in the world he could fully trust. But how could she know this person? That person would have died a very long time ago, so she couldn't possibly know this person.

"How do you know Ellie?" She sneered in her face, making sure nobody could hear their conversation.

"I've know all about the Ditori all my life." She answered. "I grew up on stories of the man who tried so hard and failed. The man responsible for making the world as it is. He had his chance and he failed. Everything right now is your fault, my mother told me this, her father told her that, and his father told him that." He was trying to figure her out, staring her in the eye as she did back. Who was this girl?

"Who are you? How do you know Ellie?"

"Ellie, she was my great, grandmother." She answered.

Ellie, one of Sam's very few relationships that latest over seven months. He never had many, but those that did last longer then a few months were good ones, he thought anyway. Ellie was his last; they separated around the time the Starnik were resurrected and before their fight outside the temple. Before he had the procedure to give him Starnik power. So how did she gain powers? There was no supernatural gene in his blood, so how was it passed down to her? He was stressed and it was affecting her, it wasn't working and the relationship they had failed. He never heard from her again. She was a Ditori, a strong believer in the fact wolves should not be living among humans, a thing Sam liked about her a lot. It was these next few words that brought Sam to a sudden realisation.

"You're my great, grandfather." His eyes widened and his jaw dropped an inch. She was nothing like him, other then her hatred for Wolf kind. He didn't know. She, he and Ellie had intimate moments, but he never knew this had happened. He wasn't sure how to feel. Was he going soft? His bloodline didn't die with him; it has lived on in the form of this woman before him. Yet, in her eyes, she showed no happiness in the fact her ancestor was standing before her. More like an expression to show that she didn't care. Should he be happy that he had a child and his blood carried on? Or should he have the same expression she had. "Look, I don't want any family crap going on between us." She then continued after a moment. "To be quite honest my mother and everyone up to Ellie hated you for failing. I'm ashamed to be in your family. But if you can help us, if you can help us succeed, then I might feel a little differently towards you." He gulped and nodded.

"I feel the same; I don't do the whole family crap either." He agreed.

"Help us, and I'll tell my mother you're not the man we thought you were." She then walked around him to walk away. But he quickly grabbed her arm.

"Just tell me…" He added. "Ellie, what did she have?"

"A boy I think." She shook his hand off her arm before she walked away. Deep down, Sam knew if he ever had children, he always wanted a son. His father always told him boys were stronger leaders the girls before he died. Still, like he said, he didn't do family. So this hadn't fazed him. He shook his head to clear his thought and refocused back on the main subject. Nathan was walking passed him at this moment, so he grabbed him and started a new topic then the frightful one he just had.

"If you want to be a real Ditori, you will have to complete the initiation." Sam told him.

"Seriously? An initiation?" He complained.

"It's custom." Sam nodded. "But first, we need a wolf." She grinned. Nathan nodded also, a grin of his own spreading across his face.

"And I know the perfect one."

Aquila had seemingly vanished. Jonah once again went to the show this morning and thankfully he wasn't used this time. He still smelt of the…whatever it was in that tank. It sent shivers up his spine. Still, he wanted to spend as much time as he could with his friend before she had to move on again in the next few days. Only this time, she was talking with the audience after the show, but by the time Jonah got to where she was, she had vanished with the wolf she was speaking to. He spent a good fifteen minutes walking around the circus, wondering if she had moved somewhere else or gone backstage. Nope, she had certainly vanished. The last place to check was her trailer, so that's where he went.

He thought she's be waiting for him back stage at least. He followed her scent and supernatural signal she gave off all the way back to her trailer. She wasn't alone; the scent of another wolf followed her. He walked alongside her trailer, hearing male groans, girly moans and giggles coming from inside. He risked it all and his mental sake. He knocked on the door; quickly the noises stopped and were replaced by whispers. A few moments later, the door opened and Aquila stood there, surprised by him being here, breathing hard and fast and her fur messed up completely. "Jonah?! Not a good time." She said.

"What's going on in here?" He teased; clearly he knew what was going on.

"Nothing." She lied so evidently. "I'm just…busy with circus stuff. I'm going over a new act of mine with someone." The door then opened a little wider and a second wolf stepped around it, his fur just as messed up as hers.

"I'll just go." He muttered as he stepped out.

"Oh come on, don't go yet."

"I can see you're busy, sorry." He then started running, an embarrassed blush all over his face. Jonah looked to his friend, an angered glare staring fiercely back at him.

"What happened to not in the trailer?" He teased. She growled and turned around. "Oh come on." He chuckled and walking in after her, shutting the door behind them. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" She exclaimed while hopping up onto a chair with a mirror in front of it. "My "not so much" best friend walked in on something amazing! It's embarrassing!"

"Please, it's not like we haven't spoken about that kind of thing before." He laughed again.

"So?" She snapped while looping the wire loop of the feathers around her ear. They were hung on the corner of the mirror before. "A girl needs some satisfaction every once in a while." She looked at him in the reflection of the mirror.

"So does a guy." He snickered.

"Yeah, he was a fan of mine. It wasn't serious, a one time thing."

"So it's not your first time then?" He teased again.

"Please..." She scoffed. "I'm no virgin and you know it."

"I'm just testing."

"Just, let me come to you next time. Ok?" She the asked much calmer and begging more then asking.

"Yeah, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, why did you want to know anyway? Being protective of me now?" She then began to tease while turning to face him while still sat on the chair.

"Maybe. I don't like to see my friends being used while being so close to mating season."

"You're sweet; I'll have to thank Henry for making you that way." She replied while jumping off the chair and opening the door. "Now if you don't mind, I need to wash up and look a little more acceptable."

"Ok, I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll come by your place again; Henry will want to make sure these are in good paws after all right." She replied and waving the feathers beside her head again.

"Sure thing."

"See ya." She then closed the door without another word and Jonah began the walk back home.

Sure, it was awkward, and the last thing he wanted to do was interrupt what was going on behind those doors, but he knew she'd understand. Jonah would never admit it, but he was only being cautious for her sake. He did slip in the fact she was being risky, mating with a wolf she doesn't even know when it's very close to mating season already. Should she become pregnant from this, he'd be sure that if she chose to keep them he'd help her go through it. He didn't want her to suffer from a mistake like this. She seemed sure she'd be fine; otherwise she wouldn't have done it. Aquila was sensible; she wouldn't put a giant risks into these things. Still, he didn't want her to make stupid choices.

So on the way home, he was a little worried about her, doing things like this when so close to a special time of year. As much as she could take care of herself, he couldn't help but begin to feel protective of her. Did that guy push himself onto her? Did he approach her for an autograph like everyone else or is this what he wanted? Was she pressured into things like this? Did she really want this? As much as he was sure this wasn't the case, he couldn't help but feel it. Henry picked up on this while he was cleaning the kitchen surfaces, sensing his nephew wasn't quite right.

"Everything ok Jonah?" He asked as he wiped the cloth along the surfaces as best he could reach.

"Yeah, fine." He answered with a smile and lying on a spot on the living room carpet. His uncle knew better. Still, he never liked to pressure his nephew into things. If he didn't want to talk about it he wouldn't ask.

"In that case, can you do me a favour?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"The guys from work are coming around tonight, I'll pay you back if you go and buy some beer for me."

"Not going to get wasted again are you?" Jonah chuckled.

"Since when do I ever get drunk?" Jonah only pulled a face that wasn't impressed, and Henry knew exactly what he was insinuating. "Don't answer that. Just help me out, please? We'll leave some for you." He tempted further.

"You know, I don't get it." Jonah chuckled while getting up. "Alcohol causes so many problems for humans, so when we come along, they make safe alcohol for us? They've only made more problems for themselves."

"They've made us feel belonged." Henry chuckled. "They've done things to help us feel more a part of this world. I don't think the humans would last very long in our world after all."

"I know, they've only made things more fun. Now we can get drunk too."

"But you won't, not while I'm around kiddo."

"I'll be back soon. Aquila might be here before I get back, don't embarrass me." He warned, flashing his eyes teasingly as he walked back down the corridor.

"Would I ever do that?" Henry shouted back.

"Yep!" He heard his nephew say before the door shut closed beside them.

Jonah's first thought, make this quick, that way Henry won't be able to spill all of his secrets by the time he gets back. He walked across the side and towards the stairs, reaching the top and nearly walking into a person. He apologised as the person did back, making sure he didn't walk into the woman following him. She caused his instincts to go into overdrive as he did however, and half way down the stairs, he looked back up as they walked along passed the doors. She had a red glow around her, she was a supernatural. So what, this wasn't out of the ordinary.

Meanwhile, inside the apartment, Henry wanted an answer. He was on the phone the moment the door was shut, and when it answered Aquila spoke. "Hello?"

"Aquila? It's Henry."

"Hey, I didn't know you had my trailer number." She giggled.

"Jonah knows it off by heart, she wrote it down and now I have it." He chuckled back. "I was just calling to talk about him actually. He's come home a little out of sorts and I was hoping you might know." There was a moment of silence for a second before she answered.

"I might know, I'll go find him." Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Hang on, there's someone at the door."

"I'll go and find him, don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Thank you, I'll see you later."

"Ok, bye." He then pressed the button and the phone fell silent. Who could this be? He wasn't expecting anyone.

Around this time, Jonah was nearing one of many places where shops were built and malls sat with open doors. The whole of San Francisco was pretty much a grid town, there weren't any curves in the paths and roads, it was all pretty much ninety degree corners with the odd round about here and there. But still. It was full of alleys which were good and bad places to be. Most were full of waiting thugs, but some weren't, and lucky it was no secret which were "occupied" in this town. Most people knew where it wasn't good to be. He used these alleys to avoid the busy streets of the city, avoiding the bad and long ones. Sure he was faster then humans, like all wolves were, but he wasn't stronger if he was caught.

He turned off the main street and started walking down one of these alleys, it was long, but it led more or less to the shop he wanted to go to. Humans were amazing creatures, smart, ingenious beings to be able to come up with ways to help wolves feel more a part of this world. It was a shame not everyone agreed. He was halfway down, feeling perfectly fine, just unaware of what as happening around him. Behind him, he heard something made of glass pushed across the floor. He looked; two men were walking towards him from the other side. He paid little attention to them, this was nothing. So he started walking again, this time just going a tad quicker. Someone coughed, he looked immediately to his left as a woman stood up from her leaning position against the wall, a keenly look in her eye as he passed. She began to follow him with the other two men that walked to keep up with him.

He was becoming a little nervy. But then, ahead of him, two more men walked in from the street and towards him. He went to step around them, and even though they weren't near him yet, they moved with him to block him in. To test them, to make sure they weren't just normal people and that it was a mistake they blocked him, he moved to the other side. But then they followed him again, they wanted to block him in. One of the men behind him stepped beside him after catching him up, the men before him joined him and forced him to stop with his back against the wall. He was scared, were these people COWEL? He had his back against the wall, surrounded on all sides.

"I don't have anything." He said. "I don't have anything you would want."

"Hey, who said we want anything you've got?" One of the men questioned. A blue cloth tied around their upper arm caught his attention and gave him his conclusion. Only one kind of person whereas that.

"You're COWEL." He gulped.

"The mutt isn't as stupid as he thought." The woman sneered, making the men with her laugh.

"Please, I don't want any trouble." He pleaded. "I'll give you anything you want." These people could potentially kill him.

"Why when we've got what we want right here." Another of the men cracked their knuckles and all five of them moved in to him. He readied himself, sure they were going to hurt him, but would they kill him? But suddenly, there was a something similar to the sounds of a giant rush of wind and the look of a heat wave that rushed passed him and into all five of the humans. Only it carried with it to force of a speeding train, knocking them all away. They slid across the concrete, crashing into dumpsters and trash cans, all being knocked unconscious in the end. His eyes pulsated brightly from the fear of what could have just happened and from the loud noises and what caused them.

He looked around the dumpster beside him and to his right. He took a deep breath of relief to see Aquila standing there. "Oh my god, I'm so glad to see you." He breathed and stepping towards her, being cautious around the humans and hoping they wouldn't wake up.

"You're uncle was worried about you, it's a good thing he asked me to come find you." They opened their paws for one another and wrapped them around each other. He felt some sense of security being around her now. He had a passive power, whereas she had an active one, so she could keep herself and him safe. But clearly not while her back was turned. He had his eyes closed, relishing that fact he was going to be ok when he opened them and another was running towards them with a knife in his hand.

"Aquila watch out!" He screamed and moving around her. But that didn't happen, in fact, many things happened in that moment. Jonah's eyes pulsated brighter then ever before, Aquila felt a sudden lose of strength and energy, and as Aquila slipped through his paws and to the floor, out of Jonah's paw and directly towards the man came one of Aquila's telekinetic blasts. It flew out his paw, into the man who flew back the entire length of the alley and into the concrete at the far end. He stared at his paw for a moment, wondering what on earth just happened. But then Aquila groaned loudly, trying to push herself up to her paws. "Are you ok…?" He reached down to help her up, only to have his eyes pulsate brightly once more and the same heat wave like blur blast out from his paw and into a spot by her head, narrowly missing it. He moved away from her, spinning around and sending another blur across the alley and blowing a whole into a wall. Aquila seemed to be the only one with some common sense. She used the little energy she had left and grabbed his forepaws and held them still.

"Keep your paws still." She breathed deeply. She felt as thought she had run all day long. What had happened to her? "Just…put them down slowly." He nodded, tears welling in his eyes as he did just that. She let him go, groaning again as she flopped out onto her side and trying to regain her strength and breath. "What did you do to me?"

"Me?!" He exclaimed. "What did YOU do to ME?!"

"I didn't do anything." She puffed and pushing her front half up with some good amount of effort.

"Neither did I. Aquila, something's happened, I don't know what but…I-I think I've got your power."

"That's not possible." She groaned and holding her side. "I can't give you my power and you can't take mine." She tried pushing her rear end up to stand, she failed. So he tried to help her, but she then told him not to. If this was him then she didn't want him touching her again. It was one of them, one of them had done something and they didn't want to experience it again. Either it was Aquila and doing it took a lot of energy, or it was Jonah seeing as he ended up with her powers. "What was COWEL doing here?"

"I have no idea, but they were waiting for me."

"Did they follow you from your apartment?" She asked again and finally managing to push herself up to stand. Taking a moment to find her balance before mastering it again.

"No, I was alone until just now." He shook his head. But then he had a thought, a way they could have found him.

"What? Thought of something?" She questioned.

"They've been staking you out, waiting for you to be alone so they could find you." He answered. "What if they saw me leaving your trailer, then back to the apartment and then here?"

"What assholes." She growled and looking to their still unconscious bodies. Only Jonah had a far more serious and fearful look on his face.

"No, you don't get it." He said with widened eyes. "If they followed me back from the circus, then they would have followed me to the apartment! There were some guys I've never seen before going up the stairs as I was leaving, we've got to get home right now!"

**I'd like to thank my partner, Bastard from North, for the twist he gave me the other day for this story and for inspiring the part with Sam and Evelyn. Also, i'd like to apologise. The ending, i'll admit, wasn't that great. I'm very tired and not feeling particularly great, so it was a little rushed. So i apologise for that. Until next time. :D The FalconWolf**


	6. Chapter 6 Following Their Paw Steps

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 6: Following their Paw Steps

There was no time for taking the scenic route through town; Henry could be in trouble thanks to the trial Jonah left behind. COWEL was after him, he was their new target for whatever stupid reason they had against all wolves. They must have seen him hanging around with Aquila, therefore making him a new target in order to get to her. They then followed him to the apartment, right to Henry, and then right before they ambushed him in the alley. He's led them all over the city and now Henry could be paying the price.

So there was no time to waste, not even to discuss what on earth just happened. Jonah had Aquila's power; yet she had a sudden loss of strength, who was responsible for it? They'd have to continue that subject later. Aquila still felt the effects of her sudden lose of strength, she couldn't run as fast as Jonah and became tired after only coming to the park, Jonah had a far bigger reason to will himself on. Aquila would lose a friend if it came to that; Jonah would lose that, an uncle, a father figure, the only family he has left. He slipped up the first step as he reached the apartment complex, quickly finding his footing before climbing the rest of the and running past the several other doors to his. He looked across the car park; Aquila was only just coming into it. He didn't slow for her, not when he saw the dirty footprint on the door, evidence it had been kicked in. More added to that after seeing the lock splintered and the frame exactly like that.

He barged it open, taking less then a second to see all this before charging inside. "HENRY!" He cried, wanting to hear his voice. He had to be ok, he need to be! He ran along the corridor, straight down into the living room. It was a mess, the couch had been flipped over, the window cracked, the glass cabinet smash and fallen on it's side. "Henry, can you here me!" He was panicking, he wasn't here. His eyes glowed in fear as he canned the room and reached out his supernatural gift to find him. He could sense any supernatural blood, he could find Henry. He heard a groan; he leapt up onto the flipped chair and looked over it, Henry lay on the other side of it. Well, his tail was anyway, the rest of him was underneath the cabinet which had fallen over him. Luckily, the chair stopped it from crushing him. He jumped back off, running around and sliding underneath the cabinet. "I got you Uncle, I'm here."

"Ahh…Jonah?" He groaned, partially a groan of relief he was here.

"It's ok, let's just get you out." He couldn't help but laugh in relief he seemed to be ok. He pieced things together, clearly they did come here, they knocked him about a bit, threw him into the window, then into the chair which flipped over as a result of that, only then to knock the cabinet onto him before they left. But this was COWEL, if they ever did this then they wouldn't leave the wolf alive. Why was Henry still alive? They would have killed him. Jonah wasn't complaining, his uncle was alive, this was a miracle!

Jonah grabbed his scruff in his mouth and began dragging in out, slithering out first himself and then bringing Henry out with him. Suddenly, a woman jumped out from the corridor, a pistol gripped tightly in his hand. Jonah wasn't fast enough to do anything, his eyes widened at the sight of her and he waited. But then, just as suddenly, a blur slammed into her with great force and as if hit by a bulldozer, she screamed and flew into the window and out it, falling the way down and…well, it was pretty clear. Aquila then came running through, panting heavily and fast, almost struggling to breathe. Jonah relaxed a little. "How many times…do I need to save you today?" She panted. Jonah didn't answer. He finished dragging Henry out, a small cut on the back of his head, his lower right fang missing, a small cut going over his lower lip there. Other then that, he seemed ok. He sat his uncle up who continued to groan and seethe as he passed his paw over the back of his head.

"Are you ok?" He asked stupidly, nothing here was ok!

"I'm fine." He nodded. "You can't kill an old war horse like me." He smiled reassuringly. He still had his sense of humour, so Jonah hugged him, thankful to god that he didn't lose him.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." He mumbled. "I can't lose anyone else."

"And you're not." He reassured and pushing him away. "But right now we need to leave."

"We need to get you to a vet." Aquila added, finally able to catch her breath. "You took a quite a beating by the looks of things." She added while looking around the room.

"I'll be fine; I can take care of myself. It wasn't me they were after anyway." Jonah tilted his head.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "They're after someone?"

"They wanted to know where you were, they're after you son." His eyes widened again. "I didn't tell them anything, so they made sure I paid for it while they waited for you to come back. It's a good thing I called you Aquila."

"We were lucky." She added. "Let's just get out of here; the cops will be here soon about the noise I'm sure."

"You need to get out of town." Henry nodded before they walked out of the apartment. "Both of you must leave now."

"Us?" Jonah questioned while making sure there wasn't anyone around to attack them again before cautiously walking away from the building. "You're not coming."

"They had someone who seemed to know about the Starnik, too much. He kept mentioning them, he has quite the temper. It's a good thing I can control my eyes pretty good."

"This isn't funny." Jonah exclaimed. "They could have killed you."

"You two are in more danger then me. This man is working with COWEL; if he knows secrets of our ancestors then he could very well be a great danger to us."

They walked away from the building, ignoring the police sirens and vehicles that sped passed them and towards the apartments. They needed to create distance between them and their home, somewhere safe. So checking behind them and around each corner constantly before actually taking it, they moved into the heart of the city, into its busy parts where they could blend in better and hide in the alleys. They were safe for now here in this dirty, stinking place.

"Why do I need to go with you?" Aquila asked. "I can't just leave the circus."

"I've taken it upon myself to see that you're safe too." Henry answered while using a broken mirror to check out his missing tooth and to cut on his lip. "I'm sorry Aquila, but it's not safe around here for you either. COWEL want you gone, you two need to get out of here before it's too late." He added while turning around.

"You keep saying "you two" Uncle, why does something suggest that you're not coming with us?" Jonah questioned.

"This man knew of the Starnik, he found you, he found Nick, our distant cousin in the Starnik temple, he's a danger to our family. I need to warn anyone we've found."

"So where will you go?"

"I need to go and find Jackie, remember, we were talking about her the other day?" Jonah nodded, so Henry continued. "If this guy knows how to find us, then she could be in danger, as could the rest of our relatives."

"This is crazy guys." Aquila added. "This is COWEL we're talking about; they do things like this everyday to different wolves. It sounds like you're suggesting something."

"I'm not suggesting anything." Henry answered. "You know us better then anyone, we look out for our family, so we will do anything it takes to make sure they're safe. But right now, you two need to get out of the city."

"I can't leave the circus." She refused. "I can't just up and leave."

"I didn't mean to drag you into this." Jonah said sincerely. "But you're in danger too, COWEL are taking things up a gear, they're taking this far more seriously. If we stick together then we'll…"

"I'm not touching you again." She snapped back. "I don't know what you did to me, but I'm not letting it happen again."

"Let what happen again?" Henry asked.

"When Jonah was ambushed, he took my power and made me feel like crap." Aquila answered. "I didn't do anything, and the next thing I know he's blowing holes in the walls."

"I didn't do anything." Jonah retaliated. "I just moved you out the way."

"This doesn't matter." Henry said stopping this pointless argument before it escalated. "One of you must have a power to either share or take a power. Either way, be careful and take care of each other."

"I'm not leaving." She replied, standing up and making a stand. "I'm not afraid of these assholes or else I would have done something about this a long time ago."

"Look, we'll head back to the circus, we'll talk some things over with Rick and then we've got to go." Said Jonah.

"And go where?!" She exclaimed. "We're running when we could just go to the police and get help. We would we go."

"Go to the national park east of here. Take the bus, a cab, anything, just don't draw any attention." Henry answered. "You guys can't stay long. I'll go and get myself patched up, then I'll head to Portland, that's where Jackie and her family live. I'll give them a little surprise."

"This is nuts." Aquila grumbled and shaking her head.

"This is just until things die down." Jonah said softly. "Things will go back to normal in no time, I'm sure of it."

"It better." She answered hotly. "Now come on, let's go." She began walking to the end of the alley, looking down the lengths of the streets to check it was clear while Jonah and Henry embraced one another once again and for the last time.

"Take care of yourself." Henry whispered. "Take care of Aquila."

"I think she'll be taking more care of me to be honest."

"Nick's funeral is in a few days, try and make it there if you can." Henry said as they pulled apart.

"Why the national park?" He questioned. "Why go there when there is anywhere else?" Henry only chuckled.

"It's our natural home; we're strongest in our own world, not the human's." He answered. "Also, because I want you to meet somebody there."

"Who?"

"Don't worry." He smiled. "Now go, if you hurry you'll make it there by dark. Just find shelter and settle down until he gets there." Who was this person? What would they need help with? Protection maybe? He went along with it. To be honest they needed all the help they could get. Maybe he knew this person. "Now go, and work on that power." He pushed his nephew towards the end of the alley.

"It's not me." Jonah chuckled under his breath and turning to follow Aquila who still waited at the end of the street. Henry walked the other way; firstly needing to visit the vet to get his wounds dealt with, especially his tooth, that needed checking over before he moved on.

Jonah joined with Aquila, she defiantly wasn't happy about this, he could tell. "Let's just get back to the circus." She grumbled impatiently as they began a light paced jog to the park where the circus was.

Still, they cautiously weaved around the streets, avoiding using any alleyways and always looking over their shoulders in case they were being followed. They couldn't trust anyone; COWEL could be anyone they walked amongst. The entire walk, Aquila continuously muttered and mumbled under her breath who stupid this was, how she was running for no reason. Jonah however, he was curious as to the man whom Henry was talking about back at the apartment. How could someone know so much about the Starnik? How could they find their ancestors? Were they hunting them down? It would explain a few things if that were true, but it didn't explain how this man seemed to know so much according to Henry. Also, this person he wanted them to meet. Why? Who? How? Why the national park? How would they even get there by nightfall?!

The two didn't speak much as they walked to the edge of the park, their ears perking to more sirens of fire trucks and their eyes drawn to the sight of black smoke rising from the area the circus was. They shared a brief look of worry before beginning a sprint across the long park, all the way to the other side where the circus was. It was fine, but the smoke was coming from the other side. They went in to investigate, concluding that the source was coming from the trailers, behind the wall of people watching and fire trucks battling the leftovers of a blaze. They began to weave between the legs of the people standing around to get a better look. They started to hear shouts and cries, orders and pleas, all adding confusion to the crowd watching. They peered side by side through the legs of two humans. A trailer, well…the remains of Aquila trailer anyway, smouldered away while a steady stream of water was dropped onto it to cool the metal. Everything inside was burned away, most of the metal panelling to it had come off and burned, somehow, also. All there was left of it was the frame of it.

Aquila looked to the right by the back entrance of the tent, Mel, the girl she shared the trailer with, was in the arms of one of the Callen brothers, the others not fairing much better then her. They were upset. She was stupid now, she never told them if she was going somewhere, they thought she was dead, still in the trailer. Jonah saw this also. "This is good." He said, instantly poking something inside his friend who looked back at him horrified he would think that.

"What are you talking about?!" She nearly shouted. "They think I'm dead."

"Exactly." He replied. "If they think you're dead, then so will COWEL." In those few words, she actually started to understand what he was talking about. "COWEL got here before us, they think you're dead. If you come with me and keep this up then you'll be off their radar. You're safer if they think you're dead."

"I can't just leave them like this." She said with her own watery eyes. "I've got to tell them something."

"Scott Starnik went through the same thing." He added. "He had to make his friends think they were dead to start on the prophecy of the Starnik, and look how it turned out for them." She didn't understand, yet she did at the same time. "He had to do this to make things better. Sometimes we need to sacrifices a few things to make it work out." A tear fell down her furry cheek. "If they think you're dead, they or COWEL won't come looking for you. After all this is over, you can go find them and tell them everything."

"But when Jonah?" She was ready to cry. It's hard to leave behind a life you love so dearly. "When can I come back?"

"I don't know." He sighed and was about to place his paw over hers, she quickly move hers away after remembering what happened earlier. So he placed his back down and continued. "But you will be, but we need to do this first." She looked back to her friend, crying and mourning over their lose. She wanted to tell them, she wanted to run up to them and tell them she was ok, that she was alive. But as confused as she was, she so some very little sense in all this. If they thought she was dead, then they wouldn't be affected by COWEL anymore, because they too would think she was too. That is…if the ones in the alley don't remember seeing her that is. This was hard, this was torture to do this, but she didn't see much of an option. This was for hers and their benefit, but she'd rather them have theirs' more then her. She turned back to her friend and nodded gently. He too did, but with a delicate smile.

"Let's get out of here." She nodded again, and while taking one final look, she followed Jonah back out the way she came.

They crawled back out of the crowd, walking away with confidence and without any suspicion. "Let's find a cab." He said.

"The National Park right?" She wondered and wiping away the tears. "Why there?"

"Henry said it would be a safe place for now." Then he went back to puzzled expression he had before, mainly because he was still trying to figure out the answer. "He also said he was going to send someone to meet us there."

"Really? Who?"

"I don't know, but he said we should try and get their before dark, so let's hurry up."

**A short chapter today guys, mainly because I didn't have much time to write it, so yeah, it was a little rush, again! I'll try to stop doing that.**

**So the debate is still on. Either Jonah can take Aquila's power for a short time, or...she can pass it over to someone else temporarily. But who is it? They've had to run away, Aquila'a had to made a tough choice in this matter. But she understands.**

**About Aquila. I do apologise, i discovered last night i seem to have a thing about names that end with an "A". There's Sarah, Myka, Lupa, Dakota, Aria, Jonah and Aquila, (which if you've been trying to figure out, is pronounced A-KEE-LA.). Then there's my ASOW series, which had Sahara (who i named my guitar after), Ciara, Cara, Kala (for a short time) and Anya. I'm not deliberately doing this, it only came to my attention last night. Anyway, i hope you enjoyed the chapter, sorry that bit's been lagging a bit. Oh, one last thing! the dark shadow, you've finally got yourself an account on here! Good for you! :) Until next time! :D**

**The FalconWolf**


	7. Chapter 7: Confusions

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 8: Confusions

So it was official. Not only was Aquila on COWEL's hit list, but also Jonah now. Hanging around with her was only dangerous, obviously they saw him being with her a lot, so they concluded he was someone close to her. So if they couldn't get to her, then they'd get to her friends in order to get to her when her guard was down. Only adding to the stupidity, Jonah led them back to the apartment where Henry was lucky to escape with a few cuts and a missing tooth. He could have been killed, but instead he was kept alive as a trap to lure Jonah back to him should he escape the second ambush. Evidently he did, but they didn't anticipate Aquila still being alive. Maybe they had their backs' turned to her when she left the trailer, so maybe they never saw her leave. Anyway, they had taken it to an entire new level in attempting to lock her in and burn her alive. So in their point of view, Aquila was dead.

Sure, she was devastated that she had to leave the circus. Having to leave her friends thinking she was dead, having to run from pathetic humans. This wasn't fair, Jonah wasn't being fair. She went a whole hour after leaving the park hating Jonah, for he was the reason she needed protecting now. She didn't need to run; she could take care of herself like she has done for the last two years she's been with the circus and the full year they've been after her for. She saw little sense and point in running, but she felt it was better for the circus's benefit to stay away for the time being. This wasn't about her; she just wanted her friends to be safe. So if that meant them thinking she was dead, so be it.

But the half an hour it took to get a cab and get out of the city, she never said a word. She either cried quietly to herself or stared coldly out the window. Jonah dare not say a word; he didn't want to make things worse about the subject or between them. If they were going to have to stick together then they had to keep their relationship in tact first. The one thing she defiantly didn't do was touch him again, like he never did to her. Either Jonah stole her power for a moment, or she gave it to him, either way, this was something they would have to figure out sooner or later and why this was happening now out of all times. It took another half an hour until they were out of the city; a few miles further out was the limits to how far the cab could take them.

So there they got out and began walking. The end of Golden Gate Bridge was the furthest, as annoyed as they were, they used a fast paced walk, being careful of the roads and its cars, and headed east towards the national park Henry said to go to.

That was another thing…why? Why go there when they could travel further and get away from San Francisco and COWEL? But then Henry continued to say how h wanted them to meet someone there, a human? It was understandable why he wanted Aquila to go as well; she was brought into this mess, whereas this guy they didn't even know, but Henry wanted him to join them. This made no sense, why was he bringing someone else into this? And who was it?

After walking all day, they stepped foot into the tree line of the national park, ten miles outside San Francisco. Jonah looked back, that amazing city could still be seen in all its glory with the sun setting behind it. He loved that place, but now it was too dangerous to hang around. With a sigh, he turned back around and walked in after his friend. "Aquila! Wait up!" She had already walked in ahead, so he ran in after her and caught back up to her side. It was thick of trees in here. Not many bushes as such, but thin trees made this place like a weaving obstacle course. He sensed she was still saddened to be leaving, but he knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't want to talk about it "So, I wonder who we're meeting in here." He wondered and trying to start off a conversation, something that never lasted very long the previous times he tried.

"Beats me." She shrugged. "Let's just find some place to sleep, it's nearly dark."

"You know, it's probably going to be cold tonight." She looked across to him out the corner of her eye. "We should probably get close to share body heat."

"Yeah, funny. I'm not touching you." She scoffed, but finding his statement a little humorous. But now that, that subject had been touched, it was better to start on it.

"Look Aquila…" He stopped; also bring her to a stop.

"Jonah, I'm not mad at you." She said. "I get it, you're my friend and you just want me to be safe." She then turned around to face him completely. "But to be honest, I want the same for you. I want to stay now, I'm the one with an active power, so I can keep you safe too."

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." He continued. "I don't know who did what, but we need to figure this out." She sighed and hung her head low to the ground.

"I was afraid you were going to say that. Do we have to?"

"Now is the best time." He nodded. "Nobodies around, so nobody can get hurt." She was worried, she was scared. Sure, it didn't hurt, it was just how she felt afterwards she didn't want to experience again any time soon. But now twice in one day? She saw his point. They needed to understand this and who was doing it. This could be a problem in their friendship; she didn't want it to be. She wanted to get down to the problem of it.

"Ok." She muttered with a brave smile. "Let's just try this. Come here." She sat down as Jonah approached and stood opposite her. She coughed slightly and lifted her paw, now waiting on Jonah to do something. He gulped and raised his paw before inching it closer. Aquila watched in dread and horror as it neared, just waiting for it to happen again. She looked up into his eyes that focused on the gap between their paws, quickly seeing something that made her flinch and bring her paw away, but still held up.

"What?" He asked, keeping his own paw in that same place.

"You're eyes…" She answered. "They were getting brighter. Keeping his paw still, she brought her closer. The more she did, the brighter his eyes started to shine. Going from their deep brown colour to the Starnik green the closer she moved her paw and returning each time she brought it away. It made her laugh, it was rather funny how his eyes would go from bright green to brown and back again constantly.

"Stop it." He chuckled. He had no control over this. He could feel a small rush of Starnik energy rush over him each time she moved nearer and then it would diminish each time she moved away. But this never happened before, he could go near her and this never happened, he'd feel nothing but her if he touched or hugged her. He switched on his supernatural sense to see if anything had changed, her body still shone blue and radiated with supernatural energy. So nothing had changed there.

"And you're not doing anything different?" She asked as she held her paw near his chest.

"I'm not doing anything." He replied. "Is this going to happen each time you get close enough now?" She had an idea, she hated it, but she figured it was all part of the experiment. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes while scrunching up her face and lunged forwards, placing her paw on his chest. His eyes not only widened at her sudden movement, but pulsated brightly. She opened her eyes again, squinting them slightly from how bright his eyes actually were. She was still standing, which was a good thing, and she certainly didn't feel the same as before. However, she did feel something, like a slight tiredness sweeping over her. It was a minor version of what she felt before, only defiantly not to that degree. A slight tingle all over and inside her, as well as a small dizziness. But other then that, she felt fine. It was bearable.

"See, I knew it was you!" She grinned.

"And you feel ok?" He asked while his eyes still shining bright.

"A little dizzy, but I'm fine." Suddenly, there was a loud snap and bang of something similar to lightening strike right beside them at the same time a flash of green and orange and quickly followed by a voice.

"Yes, I stuck the landing!" The sudden loud noise and voice frightened them both, and Jonah freaked out. Even more so when he was creating blasts that fired out his paws in multiple directions. Up into the sky, into trees, into the earth, narrowly missing the she-wolf that ducked to avoid them and covering her head. Aquila had to react, for each blast he made only made things worse. She wrapped her paws around him and his fore paws, holding him still.

"Jonah, calm down!" She ordered, and holding him tight as he panted and breathed heavily. His eyes darted everywhere, setting on all the destruction he caused all around them before looking around for the source of that voice when they both heard it again.

"Woah…" They looked to their right, Aquila keeping a tight hold of him. A black she-wolf, a near female look a-like of Jonah but with light brown splodges as well as the dark brown across her body and orange eyes. She lifted her, a massive grin spread across it. "I thought you would have had control; over that by now." She giggled.

"Wait…who are you?" Jonah asked, both he and Aquila still frozen.

"Wait, you don't know?" She asked. Both he and Aquila looked at one another, a puzzled and bewildered face on both of them. "Crap, I got the wrong one!" She shouted and annoyance and hitting the ground in front of her with her paw. "Ok, it doesn't matter." She continued. "All you need to know is Carson City auction house. Go there and you'll find what you need."

"Wait, what?" Aquila questioned and completely confused.

"Oh and behave you two." The she-wolf winked and pointed to them both before she quickly disappeared again, that same lightening sound and flash, leaving in her place a scorch mark as if a real lightening bolt had struck there. Even a thin trial of smoke rose in that spot.

"Wait…who the hell was that?!" Jonah exclaimed. "What was that even?" He added.

"I have no idea." Aquila added. It was right then that a second appearance was made. A human stepped out of the bushes to their left, a surprised human to say the least.

"Ok, I was warned you two were close." He said. "Just not that close." Quickly they saw that they were still together and in Aquila's paws, so just as quickly, she let him go and shuffled away from him. He was calm now, so she didn't need to worry about him anymore. "So I take it you're the guys Henry wanted me to find?"

"Wait… You're the guy?" Jonah asked. This guy, he had short blonde hair, spiked up a little at the front, a rounded kind of face along with blue eyes. He was of an average build, so he wasn't muscular and he wasn't fat. He looked like a normal kind of guy. But that didn't explain how Henry came to know him.

"I'm the guy." He nodded. "So I take it you're Jonah and Aquila?"

"It depends." She replied. "Who are you?"

"The name's Peter." He answered.

"Peter?" Jonah asked. Peter nodded.

"Or Pete for short." He added with a friendly smile. This "Peter", he was young, he had to be n his early twenties.

"Ok Pete…"Jonah said sceptically. After all this could just be trick, he could be a part of COWEL for all they knew. "Why are you here?"

"Henry called me this morning…" Pete answered and stepping out a little more. "Saying you guys needed my help with COWEL and Starnik business." He finished winking. Jonah's eyes widened, how much did this guy know? "Henry has told me everything about you guys; I've been a family friend for the last five years. You've got nothing to worry about." Jonah and Aquila shared a look. They weren't sure if this guy was completely trustworthy, but Henry knew him, he sent him here, so he must be. They'd have to watch him closely.

"Ok…"Jonah said after a moment. "If you're who Henry sent to meet us here, then I guys you know why."

"I do." Pete answered. "COWEL and someone who knows about you guy being Starnik blood are after you. I can help you."

"Do you drive?"

"Of course, I've been driving for hours to get here." He replied. "Why, got somewhere you need to be?"

"Anywhere away from the city." Aquila answered. "But we can go back and get Henry now that you're here."

"He'll be out of town by now; he said he was getting a coach out to Portland after he got himself patched up. He'll be half way there by now."

"You sound so sure." Jonah added still a little sceptically.

"What can I say; I keep in touch with my friends." Peter simply replied. "Come on, I book into a motel for tonight just north of here. Tomorrow, we can go further and meet up with him in Portland." He began to lead the way towards his car beside a road, Aquila about to follow when Jonah added something.

"We need to head to head to Carson City." The two stopped and looked back at him.

"That's not where Henry said to go." Aquila replied. But then she saw what he was on about. "Are you talking about that girl?"

"What girl?" Pete asked.

"This girl came, apparently we met her before and she somehow knows us." Jonah responded. "She said that we need to go to Carson City auction house." Now it was his turn to pull a face of confusion. "I don't know why and I don't know who she is, but I think we should go."

"She's a supernatural wolf Jonah." Aquila responded. "She's experimenting with her powers and she probably mistook us from someone else."

"I don't care, maybe there's something there that might help us."

"How though?" Pete asked.

"I don't know, but I think it's worth it. If it's nothing then we go to Portland and meet up with Henry."

This was crazy, everyone was confused. So much confusion in such little time. But then again, Carson City was north, so they could detour through there and move on after they sought out this crazy she-wolf's quest.

"Ok, fine…" Peter slapped his hands by his side. "Carson City it is."

Meanwhile, Evelyn stood in the warehouse hanger. She looked back; Sam and Nathan sat at a table, talking over plans and success with others, giving her a chance to do this. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small, silver ring. It wasn't hers, it wasn't her boyfriend's, it belonged to someone else. She fondled with it, reaching out her tracking sense to find the person it belonged to. After a moment, she snapped her eyes open, now an angered face showing apparently. "That god damn kid." She seethed.


	8. Chapter 8 Treasure Trail

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 8: Treasure Trail

Jonah and Aquila were yet to fully understand many things. The first and biggest, whether this Peter human could really help them, and if he was trustworthy after all. Another thing that rested on their minds throughout the night, was how Henry came to know this person, and why he never spoke of him. Sure, Aquila was less likely to know about him, but surely Jonah would've. But he didn't, so does this mean Henry was keeping secrets? Jonah thought they didn't keep secrets, that they were always honest with one another. This was particularly the reason why they were very sceptical about Peter, all the way through their dreams and into the next day.

As nice and seemingly trustworthy Henry seemed to be, it could still very well be a charade, a trick, they had to find a way of verifying this. Maybe they'd get that chance today. Peter's plan, something that apparently had already been agreed and spoken with Henry, was to meet him in Portland, which was north from the motel they were staying in, in a town just on the borders of the forest they met in. But after that even stranger encounter yesterday with that she-wolf, the plans had changed. She clearly new them, if not then she was confusing them with someone else. But she seemed certain. She could just be crazy, she was clearly a supernatural wolf, and many supernaturals, both wolves and humans, have a period shortly after they breakout into their powers of thinking they're insane. Many times they wind up in a mental institute for a short time, most of them being telepaths and empaths who become incredibly confused. Maybe this she-wolf needs to be in a place like that. Still, she said they needed to head to Carson City, more specifically, the auction house, all of which was north.

So they planned a more "scenic" route, taking a detour to the town, just to check this place out. So what? It was most likely to be nothing, that they were following a wild goose chase. Even if it was a waste of time, they were still heading in the direction they needed to go in. So it was still worth a shot.

They didn't wake up early, there was no need, they left when they were ready, using the time in-between waking up and stepping back out the car, take a wise choice by getting to know one another. Peter admitted to them that there were things he didn't want them to know, that he had a fairly dark past, which of course they didn't interrogate him about. Apparently, he came to know Henry through school. Henry was his history teacher in his final year of school, and the two got along better then the average student-teacher relationship, quickly it turned into friendship while Peter went through a hard time. "He was there to help me out, get me back on track." Peter answered as he shut his car door. "With his help, I made it through school and college where I then studied architecture; I'm still yet to use it."

"I just don't understand why he never told me about you." Jonah replied as he jumped out his side and pushed his door shut.

"I guess he had his reasons." Peter shrugged. After Aquila stepped out, they all looked up at the building across the street, the large, old and daunting building that was the auction house. Well, normally it's a museum, but every once in a while it runs an auction, selling pieces the museum aren't interested in or others bring in wanting to sell. People walked inside, pockets full of cash and eager eyes, all in all, ready to spend up to thousands of dollars for anything spectacular or things of interest.

"I still don't understand why we had to come here." Aquila said after they scoped the building. "That girl was delirious. She got us confused with someone else."

"There's no harm in it." Jonah replied. "Let's just see if there's anything here and then we'll leave. We'll make it to Henry by tonight if we do this quick enough."

"Let's just go, Henry was pretty strict when he said he wanted us there as fast as we could." Peter added before they walked across the road.

"He's a high school teacher. What teacher isn't strict?" Aquila added humorously. Inside, people seemed to be piling into one specific room, the first on the left. Inside there, it was one big room with rows of chairs and numbered panels, around the edges, antiques and valuable objects lay on tables, along with pieces of art that hung on walls, each with a lot number on them. Information on each thing lay beside it, but nothing really drew the three towards the room. Nothing of interest could their beady eyes.

"Ok, here's the deal." Peter said after they had a quick look inside. "We split up, we hang around for half an hour and then we leave. HALF an hour."

"That's all we need." Jonah answered. "I'll check in here, you two look around the museum." So with that, Aquila walked upstairs to check the upper floors, Peter sighed, irritated, and walked around the ground floor and Jonah turned back to search this auction room. Having another quick look around, an elderly wolf stood at the pedestal, looking over some papers, clearly, he was the auctioneer, so those papers must be some last minute information on each piece in this room. And there were dozens! Starting right, he looked over each piece. This room had over fifty people inside, so another task was to weave around the human's legs. Occasionally, he jumped up onto a table to have a quick read of the information, maybe he's find something. He didn't. Humans and the occasional wolf muttered and spoke to others about each thing, this was growing boring quickly.

He was halfway down this right side of the room when something did then catch his eye, so much he had his forepaws on the steps before he even knew it. A re-curve bow leaned against the wall, a quiver beside it and five arrows lay parallel before both of them. But why? Why was he so drawn to something, which according to the information, is over one hundred years old? He read out the information aloud to himself quietly. "With a potential value of thousands, it is said that this is the bow, quiver and remaining arrows belonging to…" He stopped, his eyes widened. "Scott Starnik." His jaw hung loosely in his maw. He looked back up at them all, it couldn't be. "Donated by an anonymous donor, the museum could not verify its authenticity. Though theories, observations, and recordings of the Starnik prove this to be the genuine weapon used by the Starnik himself." He looked back up again in awe. This couldn't be real, it couldn't be. "In the time of its creation, this bow would have been purchased for but $400. But being the only one of its kind to have been in the hands of the Starnik, its price is near priceless. Its rarity is like none before, only this weapon of its kind exists." This was why he was here. That she-wolf was not crazy. So how did she know where to find them in the whole of the world and to point them here at this exact time. The worst thing about this, was that this family heirloom could be sold. Right now even, for the auctioneer called out of the auction to start.

He couldn't let this happen, he couldn't. Even if this wasn't the real thing, he couldn't run the risk of something so precious to him fall into the wrong hands or paws. He waited a moment while people started to take their seats and grab a paddle. He looked at it, trying to think of a way to get it out of here. It was then that another wolf jumped up beside him. This male wolf smiled friendly at him for a moment before looking at the information at Jonah's paws. Jonah could see in his eye how interested he was in them, just as eager to have it as he was. He chuckled to himself before giving Jonah one last smug look before jumping down and taking a seat.

The auctioneer called the auction to start, and soon it began and the first item was brought up. As quick and quiet as he could, he scampered out the room and reached out his supernatural sense to locate Aquila and then they both smelt out Peter. Funnily enough, they found him waiting outside the auction room. "Where'd you go? I've been…" He began to say.

"You're asking where I've been, where have you been?!" Jonah exclaimed and out of breath, quickly taking him back.

"Ok, now we're all here, what is it?" Aquila asked. He didn't want to tell them until they were all together, why both when he could tell them both at the same time?

"Long story short, Scott Starnik's bow is in there." Quickly, the two became interested.

"Scott Starnik? As in…THE Starnik?" Aquila asked. "As in…you're ancestor?"

"He's not really my ancestor. None of his blood is in my veins." Jonah quickly reminded. "But yes, him. His bow is in there."

"How could that girl know that?"

"I don't know and I don't care." Jonah responded, now getting more frantic and desperate for something to be done fast. "All I know is it's about to be sold and some wolf is very desperate to have it. We can't let him."

"Hang on; you want us to bid for it?" Peter questioned.

"Not us, you." Jonah corrected.

"Me?!"

"You're the only one with a wallet." Jonah nodded. "Henry and I will pay you back. I'm sure that he'll really appreciate this."

"What makes you think I've got that kind of money?" He questioned.

"What student that studied architecture doesn't have a huge bank account?" Aquila responded.

"Why can't you just scan for it yourself?"

"I'm as poor as hell; I can't afford things like this." Peter was slowly being won over to do this, but Jonah needed to give one last push. "This is something that needs to happen, we need this. We can't let some wolf have what belongs to us."

"Fine, just stop going on about it." Peter now begged. "I'll do it, but you guys owe me."

Stealing a number panel, all they could do was wait. Forty five minutes later, Peter whistled for the two to come over. They were sat in the doorway getting some fresher air when he did and stood up straighter. "It's up next." He whispered as the auctioneer spoke again.

"Next we have, what's believed, to be the one and only weapon to pass through the hands of the Starnik themselves. We're very honoured to present to you, the one bow, quiver and five arrows of the deceased Scott Starnik. Two men brought them over, one holding the bow and another holding the quiver with five arrows inside. They showed them by lifting them in the air so people at the back could see them, adding to the whispers and impressed mutters comings from everyone in the room. It made Jonah all the more worried, so many people were interested in this antique. "Now, being the only one of it kinds, and also being in such great condition, we can double its original price." Instantly, more mutters and mumbles were heard throughout the room as well as shaking heads. Jonah relaxed a small amount after seeing this, but Peter tensed up all the more. It made Aquila laugh though at the different reactions around the place. But the elder wolf continued. "For this item, the starting value shall be $2,000." Still, many people were interested. Now the game had begun. "So do I here $2,000?" Quickly, a paw went up into the air, and Jonah's eyes narrowed upon seeing that dark and light brown wolf smiling smugly back at him.

"Here!" He called out. The price began to escalate, going from two thousand to three in but a few shouts.

"Come on." Jonah grumbled and nudging Peter's leg. "Get in there."

"It's hard you know." He whimpered down to him. "Sure I have the money, but I don't have it to spend like this."

"I said we'll pay you back, now go!"

"Do I have $3,500?" The auctioneer called out.

"Yeah!" Peter shouted back and lifting his card. Now he was in this, and now that wolf didn't have such a smug face, more so Jonah who returned it. However, this game wasn't over yet. For quick that wolf shouted something nobody suspected.

"Five thousand dollars!" Many gasped, but Jonah and Aquila's jaw dropped. How does a wolf get this kind of money? Once again, the smugness was passed back the other way. Peter now had to act seeing as practically everyone had dropped out.

"Five and a half!" Peter called out. The elder looked back to the male wolf, saying the price was now having to go up to six thousand. He didn't back down and agreed to it. Peter froze; this was beginning to terrify him. This was already going into his savings.

"Come on." Jonah nudged him again. Once again, Peter bumped the price another half. But quickly it was retaliated by the wolf who moved it to seven thousand. Peter's jaw dropped, this was growing unfair. He sighed and crossed his arms, shaking his head.

"Come on, bid." Jonah whispered again.

"I can't." He answered.

"Going once." The auctioneer called.

"What do you mean you can't?" Aquila seethed.

"I mean I can't." He growled back. "I can't afford these kinds of things."

"Going twice."

"So what can we do?" Jonah said frantically and desperately.

"There's nothing we can do."

"SOLD…!" The auctioneer quickly shouted and slamming his paw onto a bell beside him. "…to the young wolf at the front." Beside him, a human wrote something down on a board and the people around began talking. Once again, that wolf looked back smugly at Jonah before jumping down and walking around the chairs. He was out of sight for a moment, but then he reappeared walking towards them after stepping around someone.

"Nice try." He chuckled before walking passed them and out the door. Jonah growled from the bottom of his gut a he walked passed and disappeared around the corner.

"I'm sorry man, really, I am."

"It's fine." Aquila assured. "He's clearly rich enough to buy it, so that means he's rich enough to take care of it."

"I don't care is he's rich or if he takes care of it, I just want it to be back in our family."

A number of hours later, a dark and light brown wolf carefully placed his latest achievement in the corner of his den. He hummed to himself as he rearranged it all, making sure they wouldn't fall or get damaged in their position before taking a step back and admiring them. Finally, he had got them. After months of tracking them and looking for them, he was finally able to track them down. But not only did he achieve the honour of owning this bow, but also the quiver and five remaining arrows. A whole collection. It was SO worth the price.

He chuckled to himself as he stepped away from his collection of antiques and artefacts over the years, a whole corner of the giant den filled with them. This was all his. He was indeed rich, but he preferred this lifestyle compared to the human one. It was far more natural this way, and he liked it. His savings account was to be used exactly for that moment, and now this day had only been made better. His den had the small human touch, just the small things to make it a little more fun to live in. So a few pictures, paintings, flowers, that kind of thing. It was still very much wolf-like though. The ceiling was high, but not high enough for a human to stand in comfortably. The ceiling was strong with the odd tree root poking out of it. It was compacted in tightly; he made sure of that himself. So it bewildered him to see specs of dirt fall from it and land on his nose. It shouldn't have done that, only a great weight above would have caused that. It was mid-afternoon, so it could have just been someone walking around. He would have shrugged it off if it hadn't have happened again. It couldn't have just been someone walking around; it had to be those damn kids again playing up there.

"Damn kids." He growled as he stomped to the entrance. He pushed off the bark covering the den entrance. It was a hole in the ground, but the roof of the den was underneath a mound in the ground. The only bad thing about this place was that it wasn't far from town, so kids liked to play in this part of the park. They knew he lived there and they new playing on the mound wound him up, so they did it rather a lot. Only, this time he was puzzled to find nobody around. Not a sight to be seen or a sound to be heard. The shadows caused by the sunlight didn't hide anyone, so how caused the dirt to fall.

"Ok, you want to hide from me?" He shouted as he stepped out the hole. "I can smell you!" He added after smelling three different scent, two wolves and one human. His eyes scanned the bushes and trees, his ears perked for the slightest sound, soon picking up someone shouting back.

"Just give me what's mine!" The voice echoed, so it was hard to pinpoint where it came from.

"What?" He snapped in confusion. Then the bushes behind him rustled.

"I said give me what's rightfully mine." Jonah growled deeply. The wolf turned to face him, both their hackles rising in a threatening stance.

"Wait…You're the guy from the auction house."

"Then you should know exactly what I'm after." Jonah nodded once. "So give it to me!" He then shouted, throwing out his paw towards him and therefore a blast of telekinetic energy. It narrowly missed him, but the speed of it was enough to knock him over onto his side. He groaned as he was slammed into the ground, and before he picked himself up another voice shouted.

"Jonah!" It was female. "I didn't touch you so you could do that!" She was disappointed to say the least. "But I'm impressed."

"I'm a fast learner." Jonah never took his eyes off the wolf as he lifted his head and looked back at him, this time fearfully.

"One of you guys are going to have to go in." Peter soon added. He was knelt down beside the hole, looking deep into the darkness at the top of it. "I can't fit."

"Get away from my home!" The wolf shouted while picking himself up, feeling the aches and pains on his side. "You have no right!"

"Believe it or not, I have every right." Jonah responded. "I have the only right to have it."

"What, the bow?!" He exclaimed. "You can't have it, I own it!" He then took another threatening display. Jonah raised his paw again; this time Aquila grabbed it to stop him.

"Just let it go." She whispered and coming in front of him. "This doesn't matter."

"It does to me." He grumbled back to her.

"The bow means everything to me too." The wolf snarled again. "I think you'll find I have more right then you."

"Really?" Jonah responded and pushing passed Aquila. "And what's that?" Peter could see how this was going to end, it was so clear.

"Guys, let's just calm down." Nobody seemed to pay any attention.

"Hmm…well, let's see. I owe it, I paid good money for it and I'm supposed to have it."

"They're not rights." Jonah spat. "A right is when it's supposed to be in your family, and that's my right!"

"That's your right? It's my right!" The wolf spat. "It's supposed to be in my family!"

"Guys, let's talk this out!" Aquila attempted to bring this down. It was pointless.

"Have you got proof? Because I do, I could show you right now."

"So do I!" The wolf responded. "I can give you my proof right now.

"Oh, so now you have a genuine right?"

"Yeah." The wolf snarled.

"Well go ahead and show me."

"Why don't you show me?"

"Jonah don't!" Peter yelled.

"I will if you do." The wolf continued.

"Fine, you want proof…?" Jonah asked. "Well…"

"..here it is!" The both shouted, suddenly, Jonah's eyes lit up brightly, shining a bright, swirling, pulsating green. He gasped however in shock after a moment. He looked into the eyes of the wolf, thinking he was seeing his own eyes reflecting in them. But seeing the wolf reacting how he was now, the same as Jonah himself, it was clear it wasn't that. This wolf…whoever he was…his eyes were shining too with a Starnik green.

**Woah...another twist! I am evil, i've come to love sudden twists now. hehe. (Thanks Northie ;)) So who is this wolf? What's his name? Is he really a Starnik as his eyes seem to show? Does Peter have some connection with COWEL like some of you think? What will i come up with for the next chapter? To be honest, i have no idea. I struggled to do this one today. But anyway, this is today, i'll worry about tomorrow when it comes. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, hence why it's called the present. Until next time! :D**

**The FalconWolf**


	9. Chapter 9 Discoveries

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 9: Discoveries

Nathan seethed. Night was drawing in now over the COWEL warehouse. Many still celebrated and laughed over the death of the she-wolf they had been stalking for the last year, so what if her two friends escaped, she was gone, their goal was to eliminate her and it was completed. Finally. Now all they needed was to tidy "loose ends", as it were. Those two wolves that somehow made it out of the ambush, they needed to be exterminated before anything could happen. They had the means to do that, after they ran, Evelyn was able to acquire a personal possession from, what she guessed, the youngest wolf living there. A picture of two older wolves, it made her, her boyfriend, Sam and just about everyone there sick to look at it, Sam was really working on them to make sure that they found a new strength, an iron fist, to embrace the Ditori! But anyway, Evelyn could use this personal possession of the young wolf to track him; she already had, to a national park east of their last location. But that wasn't the only thing she had been keeping an eye on.

"You can't be serious." Nathan snapped. Jonah wasn't the only being Evelyn had been tracking, and now something else had come up. She reached into her pocket, looking around to make sure nobody was listening before presenting him with a silver ring he was very familiar with.

"He's on the move too." She answered. "Last time I checked, he was with them." He bit his bottom lip, trying to hold his frustration.

"We're too old to be dealing with him. In the forty eight years of my life, things were fine until he started this."

"I feel the same baby." Evelyn sighed and tucking the ring back inside her pocket. "But if he's with them, then we must deal with him too." Nathan understood.

"Then let's tell Sam, we'd better get moving."

Meanwhile, and after some angered flares were settled, everyone was now laughing. This wolf, the one who stole the bow away from Jonah and the others, none could believe they were stood before yet another Starnik descendant. Tarka, the dark and light brown wolf, descended from Lupa's bloodline, going all the way back, along with Jonah and Henry's, to Rosie Starnik and Shadow, sibling bloodlines that were once of the same blood many, many generations ago. For the first time in nearly one hundred years, the bloodlines had been brought together. What only makes this better, was that Henry was meeting another from the third bloodline, all three could be brought together as they should have done.

But for now on, it was a time of apologies and fun telling. They had been gathered here since the argument at mid-day, sitting outside, wandering around and now back outside the den, gathered around a fire seeing as Peter couldn't fit inside the den tunnel. The jokes were funny, but the facts were now making Tarka complain. "Oh what?" He whined after hearing some news.

"I was lucky." Jonah chuckled. "It's nothing special."

"That's one more power then I have, no matter what it is." He sighed. "Gene's suck."

"Tell me about it."

"My parents weren't supernaturals..." Aquila added from across the fire. "Yet I am. It had to be a suppressed gene or something down the line to make me."

"You've just supported it, gene suck." Peter chuckled as he prodded the fire.

"So I look green?" Tarka asked curiously. Jonah nodded with a smile.

"The same green my uncle has and I do when I look in the mirror." He confirmed. "Each supernatural has their own glow; Aquila for example looks blue when I turn it on. She leaves behind a trail, a little like a scent. If I can't find that then I just somehow know where she is, like as if I'm standing right beside her or any other person I want to find."

"Cuz…shut up." Tarka smiled, but shaking his head, jealousy rising quickly inside him. To him, any power big or small, strong or weak, was a power worth having.

"So Tarka, got any family around here?" Aquila wondered, quickly he nodded and answered.

"Not around here, but they're around. My like to travel, trying to see that they have a full life before they die. Last I heard from them they were in New York. As for siblings, I was born with three others that were sadly still born. Before my folks went travelling, I heard an awful lot of talking about pups again."

"That's sweet, little brothers and sisters." She cooed.

"I'd just like to know what I'm in for. I wouldn't want them to visit me again with three more surprises that's for sure." Aquila only giggled. "So what about you two?" He then wondered and darting his eyes back and forth from Aquila and Jonah. "I must say, you make a cute couple." Quickly, both of them started retaliating, talking and shouting over one another to make the point as clear as they could that they weren't a couple. It was embarrassing, humiliating even, so even after they calmed down, Jonah saw Tarka was confused by the sudden outburst.

"We're not together." He repeated bluntly.

"We're friends and I was dragged into this mess." Aquila added. "I didn't have a choice."

"What mess?" Tarka asked.

"COWEL and…" It was then that, for the first time tonight, that Jonah realised something crucial.

"And…?" Tarka said, eager to know.

"Henry said he was attacked by some guy who knew about the Starnik."

"But the Starnik aren't around anymore." He replied and now even more bewildered.

"But he knows they had children." Jonah continued. "He knew where Henry and I lived; this guy has already killed one of our cousin's in Idaho. He knows our ancestors secrets, how we live, where we'd go, how to find us. If he found us then he can find you."

"Really?" Tarka responded and unconvinced. "How could anyone alive today know Starnik secrets?"

"We don't know." Peter answered. "But I was called to keep these two alive for the next two days, I think it may be best if you…"

"I'm not leaving." Quickly Tarka saw where this was headed. "This is my home; the only people that know where I live are the kids that play on top of my den."

"COWEL can find anyone they want." Aquila added. "They followed me around the country for a whole year. They burned my home and tried to kill me. If they can find me anywhere in the country then they can find you right here."

"COWEL? That stupid group?" He scoffed.

"Haven't you been listening to the news?" Peter asked. "Murders of your kind have gone up in the last two days. Nearly one body a day has turned up and COWEL are responsible for it."

"This guy is orchestrating COWEL and bringing them to a whole new level." Jonah further added. "He's made them bigger and better and soon no wolf will stand against them."

"You guys need to relax." He chuckled and shaking his head while getting up and walking over towards his den. "Let me show you something." He added before he disappeared down the hole.

"This guy just doesn't get it." Peter whispered.

"We can convince him." Aquila replied. "If Jonah convinced me then we can convince him."

"And it took you an awful lot of convincing." Jonah laughed right as Tarka came back out the hole, grunting and groaning as he dragged out something. Delicately placing it in front of Jonah, he quickly came to see what it was.

"It's not a gift." Tarka chuckled deeply as he sat on the other side of the bow they fought over this morning. "I just thought it was fair you got to see it too. It's a part of our family after all."

"Well not really, Scott Starnik was never blood." Jonah added jokingly.

"Still, he was family never the less." Tarka chuckled again. Jonah's eyes scanned the bow; it was magnificent, even if it was just a de-strung bow. The hands that caressed it, the fingers that pulled back its string and fired the arrows, the power of the human that used it. Sure, he wasn't their ancestor, but he became it when he became mated with Rosie Starnik, their true ancestor. So he was family anyway you imagined it.

"Of course, of course." Jonah chuckled with him a he stroked the bow, but keeping his paw off its surface. He didn't touch for fear that he could damage this valuable artefact of the family. "You say you were tracking this?" Tarka quickly nodded.

"Yep, I'm an antique and art collector by trade, so I have my ways. It's strange; I would have thought it would be buried with them in Kalispell in the family grave."

"All but Lupa, she was already dead remember? She joined them a few months after Myka died. As the story suggests anyway, we'll never know."

"I know, I know, she's my many great grandmother, of course I know I'm a descendant of the Starnik and Earth Angel."

"You would have thought with all that power in her, her bloodline would have had a better chance at having powers." Aquila added.

"You would have thought so, but clearly not." Tarka responded and gesturing to himself. "Me, my eyes just glow, that's it. Nothing special." He looked back to Jonah who still hardly grazed his paw against the bow's limbs, still living in that fear. "Don't be a wuss." Tarka snapped after seeing him do this still. "Just touch it already, it's not like it's made of paper." Jonah felt awkward again, why was he being so cautious with it? It's not like it would fall apart with a single touch, Tarka carried it here after all! So he placed his paw down on it, getting a good feel of it. The wood was smooth, the grip was even glossy slightly, the museum had clearly polished it or something to restore it to this near brand new state. What a wrong move he made.

Upon contact with him, it was like his paw became a magnet and the bow a piece of metal. His paw muscles seized up and contracted at the same time his eyes pulsated brightly in Starnik green and a white light blasted out the gaps around his paw and claws. He felt a rush of unfamiliar energy as his entire body quickly stiffened and was blinded. The last thing he saw was Peter scrambling to his feet and Aquila running around the flames to him, but just as she reached him, everything blurred quickly and the white light took over his vision as she screamed his name.

"Jonah!"

He snapped his eyes open, finding himself somehow standing in the same place he last remembered; only something had happened. He stepped backwards; his eyes opened wide, his heart beating at a furious rate and his breath escaping in panicked, shaky pants. Everyone was around him, but they weren't moving, they weren't speaking, heck, they weren't even breathing! He looked around, there a leaf levitated in mid air as it was falling, caught by paw invisible force perhaps? No, time had frozen! Peter was stuck half way between standing and sitting, just as Jonah saw him before he was blinded. Aquila was in a running position, her forepaws off the ground as she neared him, Tarka was getting to his paws beside him. Wait…him? Even he was here! His body stood with the bow under his paw, but there were no lights and no glowing eyes. It was like some 3D picture that he could walk around in. Everything was how he remembers it. _"But what happened?"_

"You have a special gift." Someone said. He cried out in fear, it sent his body into an overdriven fear as he moved forwards, away from the voice that spoke behind him. He whirled around to face the voice. A black and white wolf sat behind him, facing him side on. "We're all pretty jealous to be honest." He added.

"Who are you? Did you do this to me?" Jonah asked fearfully. He just wanted to be sent back.

"This was all you son." The wolf said and turning his body to face him properly. "Your power brought you here so we can talk to you." He smiled friendly.

"We?" Jonah questioned.

"You're family." He answered.

"My f-family?" Now he was growing a little curious. "You mean my mom and dad?"

"Not quite." He chuckled. This wolf looked young, he couldn't be more then six years old, yet his voice carried with it a more senior tone. A parenting one. "I'm sorry if I'm confusing you…"

"I'm more then confused." Jonah replied. "Who are you?"

"Jonah, what I'm about to tell you may come as a shock…"

"How do you know my name?" Jonah was now growing a little fed up, who was this guy? So he took a little more threatening stance.

"I know your name because your parents told me." Quickly, Jonah stopped, only out of more confusion. "They're with the rest of us now, with the rest of our family." Jonah's eyes were drawn to his back paw, strangely, he could clearly see only one of his black paws were white. By the time he looked back up into his eyes, he was no longer staring into the blue ones he was a moment ago, but the swirling green ones that were there now. From listening to the stories told down through the bloodlines and from Henry, he knew this wolf.

"You're Dakota Starnik." His eyes returned to their original ice blue and a larger smile grew on his face.

"Is that what you're calling me these days?" He chuckled and getting up to walk towards him.

"Well…" Jonah rubbed the back of his neck from the awkwardness of this situation. "It's what we call all of you."

"It's good to see black still runs in this side of the family." He replied and sitting right in front of him. "You don't know how lucky you are son."

"I know how lucky I am, the first of many to have powers so I'll…"

"Not that." Dakota interrupted. "How lucky you are to have been given another gift."

"Another gift?" Jonah tilted his head.

"Thing's are stirring down there." He answered and pointing beneath him. "The one your uncle talks about is a real threat, one my parents and sisters have encountered before."

"What?"

"Your cousin, the one who joins us up here now. He was lucky enough to inherited Myka's Wiccan gene. He was also lucky enough to locate the temple in which we all lived in for a long time before its destruction. He's a cocky guy I'll give you that, he died trying to find a way to talk to us."

"What happened?"

"He wanted to try and call us, to find a way of summoning our spirits from up there…" He pointed up to the heavens. "...to come down there and talk to him. But just like Myka, he didn't think through his spell enough. Instead he opened a portal, a portal anyone could have climbed through. In the end, he brought back a threat that nearly destroyed us all." Jonah thought hard, his mind rummaged through all the stories he learned about his ancestors. "You know who I'm talking about Jonah."

Suddenly, it was like his mind turned to a page of a book that answered the question. His eyes widened at the realisation. "Sam?" Dakota sighed and nodded.

"Sam is coming after you." Dakota continued. "He knows things that nobody else could, ways to get rid of wolf kind once and for all. He'll do anything to let it happen, and with my own mother's power of immortality, he has all of time to try and eventually succeed. You are our only hope."

"Me?" Jonah was once again in shock.

"You are the only one who came do something." His ancestor confirmed. "You have the power to find whoever you wish; you have the ability to temporarily take the energy and power of whomever you wish. And I have been waiting for this moment to come, to link us together so we can talk and so you can start." He smiled.

"Start what?"

"The end." Dakota answered with a bigger grin. It was a shame Jonah didn't. "Go to my sister, shall will answer more questions then I can. Don't keep her waiting; she can be a little pissy at times." Dakota then began stepping back.

"What…who? Go to where?" Jonah called back and walking after him. It was pointless, for quickly Dakota began to fade away.

"Don't worry, she'll tell you where to go." And with that he was gone, leaving him stuck in this frozen moment of time. Never had he been in such silence, it was horrible.

"Great, so what do I do now?" Instinct made him look to his body, the frozen one that is. Before he knew it, he was standing beside it and his paw reaching out to touch it. But why? What would this…" He touched his side, quickly feeling a second rush of that same energy he felt a moment ago, a bright white light pushing out of his paw and blinding him.

He opened his eyes a second time, this time finding himself being dragged inside…where? "Hey…what's going on?!" He pulled against whatever was pulling his scruff, quickly finding something let him go and allow him to crawl himself.

"Jonah!" Aquila cried and standing over him. Something wasn't right, her voice and face was scared, this wasn't right at all. Outside there were shouts, orders and demands going out, and a lot of them. She dropped herself onto him; despite they were in some tunnel. "I was so scared." She genuinely started crying.

"What's going on?"

"Hey!" Someone poked his rear. He looked down his body to see Tarka behind him. "Keep it moving!" He didn't understand what was happening, but he new he had to move. He rolled onto his side and began crawling with Aquila as she backed herself down the tunnel. Soon they emerged into a den, Tarka's den with Peter somehow inside. He must have only just fitted inside; he wasn't the tallest of humans anyway.

"What's going on?"

"It's about time you woke up!" Peter shouted.

"What? I was only out for a few minutes."

"You've been out all night!" Tarka confirmed as he stepped out the tunnel behind him, now all four of them inside the den.

"What happened to you?" Aquila asked, still a little tearful. It was then that he remembered.

"I'll explain later." He responded. "What's going on here?"

"COWEL, that's what!" Peter gruffed and sitting back on his heels. "They found us!"

"How many?"

"Five, six; maybe more." Tarka answered. "I've rethought you're suggestion, I'm coming with you." They all looked up as they began hearing footsteps above the den and the dirt began to fall like snowflakes down onto them. "But now they're all on top of us." Peter had a thought come into mind, a horrifying one.

"Get to the walls!" He ordered and pushing himself back. Everyone did.

"What? Why would we…" Suddenly, falling from the roof was a volley of bullets that crashed through, raining down on them. Being protective, weirdly, Tarka was right beside Aquila when this happened, so he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall, using his body as a shield while Peter and Jonah pushed their faces deep into the dirt walls. The noises, the fear, it wasn't ending.

Above ground, the eight COWEL members, including Sam who stood at the sidelines watching, stood on the mound of earth, knowing full well that a den lied underneath it. They emptied everything they had in their pistols into the roof, knowing that they weren't going to survive this. If they do, then they'd dig in from here to be sure. There weren't any other ways out that they knew of, they were trapped like rats. The firing ceased, and right then, out of the tree line, Evelyn and Nathan came charging out. She ran up to Sam, punching him hard in the back. "What was that!?" She spat in his face and he rubbed the part she hit. "We told you not to shot on sight!"

"The plans changed." He groaned while Nathan pulled her away to restrain her. "You don't know the Starnik like I do…"

"The Starnik are dead, these aren't them!"

"If this one is anything like them, then he'll do the craziest shit to get out of here. So I'm not leaving any chances." She was pissed off to say the least.

Back inside the den, Jonah was happy to hear the silence of the weapons and instead the shouting of the people above. It meant they were stopping for the time being. Keeping his body pressed into the dirt, he tempted to look away and to the others. Is everyone ok?" He asked.

"Keep quiet." Peter whispered. "They might go if they think we're dead."

"We're ok." Tarka replied quietly after seeing Aquila was ok, but keeping his body pressed against hers.

"Aquila, think you can do one of your dome things?" Jonah then asked. "They're right on top of us." She peeked around Tarka and shook her head.

"We're too deep." She replied. "Everything will just cave in on us." Jonah seethed in annoyance to himself, his eyes darting back and forth around the room as he tried to think of another plan. But finally, he did.

"What if we do it together?" He suggested.

"What?" She exclaimed quietly.

"If we do it together? Would it be bigger and stronger?" This was crazy; she didn't know how to reply. She stuttered for a moment, lost for words, before she replied.

"I don't know, probably. You don't even know how though."

"Teach me."

Back above ground, Sam had his ear pressed again the grass of the mound, waiting to hear something that said they were still alive. He didn't hear anything, was this a good sign?

Back below ground, Aquila was done. "Just do what you do with your paws, but radiate it over your body and then let it out."

"Ok, I think I've got it." Jonah whispered. "After three, walk to me."

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light and the very familiar sound of thunder coming from inside the tunnel. Right before a she-wolf came rolling out of the tunnel, her body even smoking slightly. And it was no she-wolf.

"You!" Aquila exclaimed quietly.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in here?" Jonah seethed.

"What? This is only the second time I've done this." The girl retaliated loudly. Big mistake. Above ground, Sam heard and grinned, perfect, more fun to be had.

"Shit, keep your voice down!" Peter growled.

"Why? Why are we whispering?" She was finding this funny? Was this some game? "I like to whisper."

"Just shut up and get over here." Tarka waved for her to him to him.

"Oh it's ok, I'm not staying long." She shook her head. "I'm just here to say you need to go eleven miles north exactly. No further and no shorter. Eleven miles precisely."

"What? Who the fuck are you?" Jonah asked hot temperedly.

"I just told you." She replied. "Oh damn it, wrong one again!" He hit her paw into the dirt annoyed and vanished in the same light and sound of thunder. She left behind a second scorch mark, and four confused faces.

"Who the hell was that?" Peter asked.

"After three gentlemen." Sam said from above, something they all heard. They had to act fast; they'd have to come back to this later on. "One…" He called out.

"…two, three!" Jonah finished quickly out and leaping across the room. Tarka rolled to the side just as Aquila leapt out from underneath him. Peter and Tarka hit the ground and covered their head right and the two collided and caught one another mid-flight, wrapping their paws around one another and starting it.

"FIRE…"! Sam called out; right as the ground beneath his and everyone else's feet was pushed upwards as if dynamite went off underneath them all. The ground crumbled and soared up into the air, pushing everyone up and into the air as the exploding force went off underneath them. Luckily, Evelyn and Nathan were standing to the side and were pushed away, not meeting the full force of the explosion. Everyone else, well…that's a different story. Some were thrown only a few feet, Sam and most of them however, they were sent up higher then the trees, landing with a solid, bone breaking crunch and thud.

Inside the crater that now stood in the place of the den, six feet deep, everyone was ok. Peter and Tarka now pressed themselves into the dirt floor while Jonah and Aquila continued to have their paws wrapped around one another as they lay on the floor. But slowly and gradually, they brought their heads back, looking at one another before up into the morning sky. "Come on, let's get out of here." Jonah said as he pushed himself up and away from Aquila.

"God, my ears are ringing." Tarka seethed.

"Are mine bleeding?" Peter asked seriously.

"Just grab the bow and let's get out of here." Aquila replied. "You'll have to throw us up there, we can't reach."

"Well, you could, we can't." Jonah added.

"That's true." She giggled. She was giggling? In a time like this?!

Nathan rolled onto his side, holding it where he was impacted with some of the earth and was sure to leave a bruise. Beside him, Evelyn also groaned and held her leg, feeling the same intense pain in that spot. "Are you ok?" He groaned.

"I'm fine." She seethed. "Just peachy." They looked around, the destruction left behind. The bodies, both dead and unconscious, the rubble, the cracks in the earth. Then to the hole, right as someone was thrown over and landed unstably. A back and brown wolf got to his paws as a second she-wolf leapt out, using the walls to propel herself out the hole using her own skills. Then a third wolf was thrown out, shortly followed by a single human climbing out, struggling a little due to holding a bow in one hand and a quiver full of arrows in the other. It was no easy feat, but he managed it.

Both pained humans reacted to seeing this single one as he and the wolves stood around, looking at the carnage they somehow caused without managing to spot the two watching them. Nathan reached down to his side for his weapon, put Evelyn stopped him. "We don't kill humans."

"You said it yourself; he needs to be dealt with."

"Could you really do it though?" She questioned. She knew it, he couldn't.

"We'll see him again." They looked back to the group, seeing them walking away from the crater together and in one piece. Even more irritated after seeing that she-wolf was still alive. This had complicated things further. Suddenly, Sam stood behind them after being thrown up thirty feet, down through the trees and then back down to earth. His wounds were in the stages of being healed, cuts were all over his body, his clothing torn, his leg even broken, snapping back into place at the same time Sam groaned.

"Why didn't you shoot?" He breathed heavily at the stinging sensations all across his body.

"We…didn't have a clear shot." Nathan answered. Liar.

"Where do we do now?" Tarka asked as they walked. "They've destroyed my home; I've got nowhere to go."

"We go to Henry." Peter answered. "We need to find him before the funeral, which, might I remind you, is tomorrow."

"I agree, we should…" Aquila was interrupted by Jonah.

"But we stop eleven miles north."

"You can't be serious?!" Peter exclaimed.

"That girl was right about the auction house; while I was out I saw things that answered many things. She seems to know things so I say that's where we go."

"It's still north." Tarka added. "It's still in the direction we need to go. It'll just be a quick stop. Peter took a moment, this was getting ridiculous. They should be with Henry right now.

"Fine, but we make it quick."


	10. Chapter 10 One Step Closer

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 10: One Step Closer

So many things needed to be confirmed, but at the same time, many things were turning against Jonah. It was clear everyone else in the car was struggling to believe him. Well, come on, who else would believe a wolf you says one of his great ancestors had been waiting for a time to stop time and deliver not only a message, but apparently the first of many steps to doing something of great importance? Exactly, it wasn't very believable. Hence why he sat in the front as not to look at the faces they were making. Tarka was officially along for the ride; he had no-where else to go. D the sacrifice of his den, but he did mind the destruction off most of his prized antiques and arts he had collected since becoming an art collector. Thankfully, the most important piece, the bow and quiver, could be saved.

"I just don't see the point in all of this." Peter sighed after a long moment of silence. "We're following a she-wolf who doesn't even know you and thinks she can help us."

"She led us to the bow." Jonah answered while staring out the window, knowing he still would have a disappointed look. "She led us to Tarka and because of her I was able to talk to Dakota."

"Oh not this again." Tarka groaned in annoyance. "It's not possible." This time, Jonah did look back at him.

"Nothing's impossible in these times." He answered hotly. "Wake up cuz, this is happening to us and we live in an age where beings with powers are everywhere. Who's to say this is just one of mine."

"Well I believe you Jonah." Aquila smiled proudly. He smiled back before turning back around and looking out the window.

"You seriously can't right?" Tarka whispered in her ear.

"Go no." She whispered back. "Jonah's just going through a tough time, finding he has a new power and such. His mind is probably just looking for some comfort. Just go with it." She replied.

"So what do you think happened while he was out?"

"He clearly saw something." He nodded. "That much I believe, maybe that's the part his mind was trying to do to comfort him. Just in the shape of Dakota. Nothing can bring back a one hundred year old ghost."

"Stop the car!" Jonah suddenly shouted. Aquila and Tarka hardly had time to prepare before they slammed into the front seats. The car wobbled back and forth a little before standing still.

"What the heck!" Tarka growled irritated as he sat back up.

"Eleven miles." Jonah said. "This is it." Peter looked down to the mile counter on the dashboard, exactly eleven miles up the road. Jonah pulled back the car handle and pushed open the door to jump out.

"Jonah, there's nothing here, get back in the car." Peter said lazily and just wanting to move on. There had already been too many stops and delays.

"There has to be something." Jonah replied as he walked away form the car. To their left was an open field, the highway and far beyond that the sea was in sight. To his right was a thin woodland and what sounded to be a river not far into it. He looked back after hearing the car doors open, meeting Aquila as she walked up beside him.

"Jonah, that she-wolf is delusional." She said softly. "It's a coincidence we've met her."

"She led us to the bow and that led us to Dakota." He snapped back. "She came again and she told us to come here. Before That Dakota said to meet his sister, that girl said we had to come here. Something is here; something I need is going to send me to her."

"You need a break." She responded instead.

"What?"

"Peter, we're taking a break!" She called back.

"What? No." He replied quickly and opening his car door but staying seated. "Absolutely not, we've stopped enough as it is. Henry wanted us there before tomorrow."

"And we still have plenty of time." She answered calmly. "I can hear a river nearby..." She soon added. "I need to wash up; we can go as soon as I get back." He wasn't going to win against her. One: she was a girl, and he learnt a long time ago there's no point in arguing with girls. Two: She was already walking away.

"Fine, but we're not stopping again until we get there!" He shouted to her just as she disappeared into the trees. Jonah looked to Peter, an even more irritated expression on his face, so he sheepishly laughed and grinned. "Just get in the car." He growled. So he did, walking back around the car and to the door before jumping inside. There was an awkward silence in the car. Tarka was laid down in the back, not sleeping, just getting comfortable while they waited. Peter was looking straight out the window, his hands fondling with the rubber of the steering wheel. "I can't believe we actually came here." He muttered and shaking his head.

"What?" Jonah replied. "We're still heading in the right direction."

"You're not the one who Henry is going to eat later on for being late." He snapped back. "Whatever you saw while you were out was just a dream or something. Nothing can bring back the dead."

"Other then Myka Starnik." Tarka mumbled.

"Whatever!" Peter exclaimed. "But she's gone now.

"And our cousin." Jonah muttered jokingly.

"Look, COWEL are just trying new things, getting a little braver." Peter continued. "They aren't targeting Starnik descendants, they just happened to see you with Aquila and then you with Henry, so they tried to kill two birds with one stone. They've followed us and that led them to Tarka."

"That doesn't explain what I saw." Jonah replied confidently. "Listen, I know what I saw and I know that, even if she is crazy, that she-wolf knows something. She's led us to the right place at exactly the right time that one time."

"Exactly, the one time!" Peter seethed. "There's nothing here, nothing for you to have another hallucination with."

"Oh both of you just shut up!" Tarka groaned over all of them, clutching his head as he did. "You're giving me a headache. We're leaving soon anyway."

"Where is Aquila anyway?" Peter wondered, beeping the horn a few times and waiting.

"She's being a girl, taking her time to wash, that's all."

"Somebody should go find her, tell her to hurry the hell up."

"I nominate Jonah." Tarka quickly added.

"What? Why not you?"

"I've known her for not even twelve hours, you're her best friend. If she's washing then I think she'd rather appreciate her best friend go to her then a stranger or a human she hardly knows either."

"The guy's got a point." Peter added in agreement. "Just tell her to hurry."

"And you call yourself a guy?" Jonah chuckled while opening the car door. "What guy doesn't want to see a girl washing Tarka?" He never heard what Tarka said back, he shut the door before he had the chance.

He set down a steady jog down the small hill beside the road and then into the trees. The smell of the river was pungent in the air and the sound weren't too far off. It couldn't be a big one, it didn't sound it. If it was, it was a very calm one. He pushed passed the bushes, stepping over the logs and weaved around the trees, following her scent through the thin woods where on the other side of them he found her. To be honest, this wasn't even a woodland, more so just a thin line of trees. Pushing a small hedge to the side, there was a patch of grass between him and the thin, shallow River Aquila was sitting in. But why wasn't he moving? Why did he suddenly find himself frozen to the spot and…staring at her? His own male instincts and desires overpowered him. Sure, he's already mated with a girl before and felt the pleasures of that, but that was a long time ago, a guy has his own desires too. Oh god, but with Aquila?! It disgusted him, yet he couldn't take his eyes off her, he hadn't seen a sight like this in a long time... Even if it was his best friend, he couldn't help but just watch.

"Jonah?" He snapped out his train of thought, finding Aquila looked back at him. "It's not polite to stare you know." She giggled.

"I wasn't staring." He chuckled nervously and walking out towards her.

"Then why were you standing there watching me?" She teased further.

"I wasn't." He lied again. "We were just wondering if you were ok. You seemed to be…"

"Taking my time." She finished for him. "Like what you see?" She giggled and posing seductively as a joke.

"I've already told you once before you look beautiful." He chuckle. "Any guy would drop dead in front of you at the sight of you." He sat beside the river, looking down beside him to see the feathers laid down there as not to get wet and damaged.

"Yet you're not." She giggled again and scrubbing at her fore paw. "If I didn't know you better, I wouldn't have thought you were…" She couldn't finish, it was rather funny.

"You would've thought I was what?" He asked curiously.

"Oh…nothing." She stifled another giggle.

"No, come on, tell me." He insisted. She couldn't hold it, she just had to.

"Ok, if I didn't know you so well, I wouldn't have thought you were…you know…gay." To her surprise he didn't seem offended.

"You're not the first person to think that you know." He chuckled. "I just like to give girls the confidence to talk to me about things. I can control myself around a girl in heat you know."

"Really? Well you might need to put up with me soon; it's getting to be that time of year again. Be warned, I've been told I'm pretty bad."

"I don't want to know." He laughed again. "Now come on, you've taken longer then you said you would." She laughed with him and jumped out, shaking dry, starting from her head and working herself down. He clenched his eyes as she sprayed him with drops of water.

"There, pass the feathers." She said after she finished and brushed down parts that stuck up.

"Taking good care of them I see." He said and reaching to pick them up with his mouth.

"Of course, I promised your uncle I'd take care of them and I was serious."

"I think he'd be happy to…" The moment his teeth clasped around the metal loop, his jaw stiffened up again and his body seized and froze as it happened again. Escaping through the gaps of his teeth, white light blasted out in beams of the purest and most blinding. His eyes pulsated just a bright in green and they widened as the rush of energy flooded his body in surprise. He didn't expect this, what was he doing? Once again, he heard Aquila scream his name, and as everything was consumed in white light, he heard her yell for the others. But he had already passed out by this stage.

He opened his eyes again, finding his heart beating crazily inside his chest, his breathing short and shallow as panic set in. Sure this had happened already, but it still came as a shock when it happened out of the blue and he wasn't prepared for it. What was he doing to cause this? Looking around, everything was frozen, even himself and Aquila who faced the opposite direction with her jaw wide open and she shouted for her. He stood to the left of his body. The river didn't move, tiny drops of water floated in mid air as the river threw them up. What was this? Dakota did it last time, was this him again?

"Hello?" He nervously called out.

"It's not Kota this time son." He looked to his right, he was more the shocked to see a human stood with the same friendly and parenting smile that Dakota had. He leaned against a tree in front of Aquila, his arms crossed, but that didn't ruin his friendly appearance. "And I saw what you were doing." He added with a laugh before standing up straight. His black hair had hints of grey, yet his face looked relatively young. He couldn't have been more then fifty years old. He had to be in his early fifties at least. "And might I add, she's pretty cute."

"You're Scott Starnik." Jonah gulped. One of the most powerful supernaturals to ever walk the earth was standing before him. He felt as though he should bow or something.

"Dakota said that's what we're called these days." He laughed again. "I do have a last name. But Starnik sounds appropriate."

"Have you been waiting too? I thought I was supposed to see Lupa or Myka"?

"There's been a change of plans." Scott replied. "I was supposed to come and see you when you touched my bow. But being my step-son's descendant we thought it was better he talked to you first. He and Chance are the most proud of what you've become. So instead I came when you touched the feathers."

"Wait, I don't understand why this is happening? I didn't do anything I just…"

"You touched them." Scott interrupted. "You're the only one on this planet with your gift Jonah. Only you can use the energy we leave behind in our most valuable items to bring us together."

"Energy?" He questioned. Sure he knew a few things on the supernatural, but this was sounding to be a little more paranormal to be honest.

"Every being leaves being an energy one something we hold close to us." Scott replied and beginning to walk around the place. "I always had my bow close to me, so my energy lingers on it. Chance had her feathers on her head for the rest of her human length life, so her energy stays on them." He pointed down to them, still in Jonah's mouth as he was bending down to pick them up. "We were able to mix a few things up, switching energies so we could see you in this particular order. Everything about you son is to do with energy."

"Why me? Why not Tarka or anyone else in our family?"

"It had to be someone." Scott responded. "Be glad it was you, because you have everything you need around you to stop Sam."

"How do I stop him?" He quickly asked, they could run out of time at any moment.

"I guess you know he has my mate's power of immortality?" Jonah nodded, he knew. "He was there this morning, so of course he didn't die. Lucky bastard." Scott muttered at the last part. "You have it in your power to take the power and energy of anyone you touch." He continued. "Use that to find and talk to the others. My time is running out. Just don't underestimate Sam, he's just about as slippery as a snake, he'll weasel his way out of any hole to succeed."

"How, how do I talk to the others." He was so confused, he didn't understand how that was an answer to kill someone.

"Find the artefacts of our family. Find them, touch them, and you'll come to places like this. We'll help you anyway we can, but the rest is up to you."

"Artefacts? How do I find them?" Scott only grinned and began walking backwards as his time had run out.

"You know exactly how. No matter what the others say, trust her." Then he vanished before his eyes, leaving Jonah in this frozen space of time.

How were these people helping him? They were driving him insane. Nobody believe in, they left him with more questions, leaving his previous ones unanswered and not giving him answers for the others. This was driving his brain into overload, he didn't understand much. Somehow, he felt by now he should be one step closer by now, yet he didn't, if anything he felt further away from finding an answer. It left him confused, so how was this helping in anyway to stop this man? He needed to convince the others, he needed them on his side rather then going against him, and that was another thing he was losing. So with a shake of his head, he prepared what he was going to say as he reached out and touched his body, once again becoming blinded by white light and going back to the real world. Hopefully, this time things wouldn't be so crazy when he woke up…

**Northie, you should love me. Confusion! Your favourite thing! Poor Jonah, so confused. Can i just say, i am now deliberately thinking of names ending in "A" for this story series. Just as a kind of Starnik family tradition that most names ends in an "A". But anyway, can Jonah convince the others to believe him? Will he wake up in a war-zone again? How will he find the family Artefacts? Bonus question: Do you think you might know what they are? What do you think the next ones could be. There are going to be three, there's a hint, one of which i know you won't know because I've never said it in any of my other stories. But go on, see if you can guess two of them, just for a laugh. I'll be impressed if any of you can get them. Until next time! :)**

**The FalconWolf**


	11. Chapter 11 Convince Them

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 11: Convince Them

Evelyn leaned over a table, wide eyes and shock spread all across her face and body. What had this come to? Death and punishment? Because of Sam, because of her own fucking ancestor, she had lost some of her friends; others lay critically wounded in hospital after what happened earlier. She didn't want this, she was quite happy with how things were before. Why couldn't she have had a better power then to be able to track others? Why not a gift of something else like…healing, or…she didn't know, just something to make all this stop. She didn't want blood shed; she didn't want any of this. Yet now it was, it was happening right now. What was once COWEL, a simple protest group with power, was now the Ditori, a secret organisation brought together with one purpose, eliminate all wolves at any cost. She didn't want this, she regretted it, she wanted him to go back.

But still, she hated to admit it but they needed his help, she needed his help and knowledge. He may have gone down as a disgrace in the family, but Sam had knowledge of the Starnik and their weaknesses, he had plans that in the past did work, so he was a vital part to their plans. But is this what they had come to? Putting allies and friends into the hospital, and putting them to death? She reached down to her thigh and removed the pistol that was strapped there, placing it on the table but keeping her hand on it. She wanted wolves to die, not humans, that's not what they stood for. Cast Out Wolves for Equal Living. Nothing in their name mentioned putting human's to death. The warehouse was much quieter now, other then Sam who shared his latest plan with them.

She growled to herself, gripping the pistol tightly and whirled around, marching straight towards him and the group he was talking to. To say she was pissed was an understatement. One of the men Sam was talking to saw her and point her out to him, so by the time he turned to face her; he was facing the barrel of her gun. "Does it hurt each time you die?" She asked, tears welling in her eyes and her hand shaking. "Because I will shoot you now and each time you wake up just so you can feel it over and over again."

"If this is about what happened today…"

"You know god damn well this is." She snarled and stopping him. Behind Sam, the three men he was talking to crept away from the end of the gun, Nathan however walked around and stood behind his girlfriend.

"Look, I guess you never got the memo, but in my world, sacrifices were needed for things to happen."

"Your world was one hundred years ago, this is our world now."

"Evelyn, just put the gun down." Nathan tried to reach over and stop her, but instead she elbowed him and shoved him away.

"I wanted to get married, I'm in my forties and I'm still not married. With you around, what are the chances of that happening? They were small before, now there's no chance."

"You now killing me won't help you." She needed release. She aimed for his shoulder and pulled the trigger. He seethed loudly and groaned as the pain rocketed through his body and mostly his shoulder. He inspected it briefly, looking under his shirt, it was already healing.

"Better now?" A tear finally fell down her face and she readied to pull the trigger, but quickly Nathan grabbed the gun and after a small wrestle he was the victor over strength. There was no backing out of this; they've come too far to lose anything.

"If you care to listen we were going over the next plan." Nathan added after a moment of cold staring. He dared go with Sam and against her? "Go ahead."

"Oh do share great grandfather." Evelyn sneered after snatching the gun back out of Nathan's hand and holstering it.

"First things first, you didn't tell me you had a scientist here." Sam swung his arm around behind him and pulled forward a man. Everyone knew him, he was no fighter, but he still believed in COWEL. "Tell them what you just told me, make my day again."

"Well, Sam here was just telling my about the research the Ditori did on the Starnik and their DNA all those year ago." His voice was just as dorky as he looked. He was a great mind, hence why he was of great use to them in some cases. But in most cases, he was useless. He only hung around because he was wanted for the mass murder of a group of wolves. Apparently, he gave that all mercury poisoning, something not many can get their hands on. "It's a complex procedure, but if I could get my hands on that data, I could try to replicate whatever it is they were working on. Mainly a drug specifically designed to strip those with Starnik blood of their powers. But to anyone else it's a slow acting but very fatal poison."

"But the problem is…" Sam continued. "All that research was destroyed with the fall of the Ditori. The nearest place to this warehouse is Kalispell, my hometown. So what we need is for someone to come with me to go up there to find what we need." He then draped an arm over the scientist's shoulders. "Not only do we have the data up there mister scientist..."

"Jim." He added.

"Jim then." Sam chuckled. "Not only do we have the data, but the machinery for you to do your thing and give us the advantage. With the Starnik descendents stripped of their powers, then they can't get in our way. With this poison in our possession and control, COWEL can do whatever they so wish with it. But first, we'll need DNA."

"DNA?" Evelyn frowned. "For what? And how?!"

"A little trick we came up with." Sam snickered again and presenting her with a glove. "This little trick we used to collect fur samples. It's a sticky glove, a very thin layer of glue is applied and all you have to do id shake their paw or touch them. That's it."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"A little trip to Portland will settle that."

Jonah's eyes were glazed over with blurriness as he began to open his eyes. He was pretty sure that when he asks how long he's been out, they'll say hours like last time. But how? He didn't understand it; he was only talking to them for a few minutes. It was like each minute that passed, it was an hour back in the real world. So what happened this time? He was moving, or rather, the car he was in was. He smacked his lips, man he was thirsty. It was like a dream, but it was very real indeed, he just needed to convince the others that he wasn't. Beside him, he could make out Aquila sat with her head out the window of the car, in the front seats were Tarka and Peter. He smiled at seeing her, the reaction to him passing out again must have been priceless, he wished he saw it while time was frozen. The ribbon tied around her long mane blew wildly behind her, her eyes were closed and she seemed to be in her own world.

"How long was I out?" He chuckled, smiling and closing his eyes again. She and everyone else heard.

"Jonah!" She exclaimed in happiness and jumping over him to embrace him as best she could.

"Hey, welcome back to the world of the living." Tarka added and turning back around the chair to look at him.

"Come on, it was like a dream, I was only out for a few minutes."

"Are you kidding?!" Peter exclaimed. "You've been out nearly all day. It's nearly sun down and we've even had time for lunch."

"Ahh man, I'm starving and thirsty." Jonah groaned after Aquila stood back and he pushed himself up. His entire right side had fallen asleep, a clear sign he had been lying there for quiet a while. A look outside only just proved their point, they had about three hours of light left.

"We're not far from Portland buddy." Peter added. "We'll eat there."

"Wait, we're nearly there?" Jonah asked back.

"Yeah, well we weren't going to wait hours for you to wake up again or COWEL to catch up with us."

"Did they?" Jonah had to ask, he had to make sure.

"No, they didn't." Aquila answered. "But these guys didn't hear me when it happened, so I had to drag you back before Peter could lift you inside."

"And you didn't get zapped like I did to Aquila?" Jonah asked wonderingly. His ancestors have been telling him so that he can take energy, so why didn't Peter get zapped when he touched him?

"No, should I have?" Peter asked back.

"From what I've been told, yeah, you should've."

"Who told you?" Aquila asked, she seemed to be the only on interested.

"Oh no, here we go again." Tarka sighed and shaking his head.

"I saw Dakota last time, this time I saw Scott Starnik."

"You're kidding me?" Peter exclaimed, now he seemed to be interested. "You saw one of the real human Starnik? What did he say?"

"Yeah, he told me who the guy Henry was talking about was. The one who knew about us."

"So who is he?"

"Some guy named Sam, the one our ancestors fought all those years ago Tarka."

"The English guy?" He asked, now turning back again to face him. "The Ditori Sam? The story my parents used to tell me to scare me a little?"

"Exactly." Jonah nodded. "Our cousin resurrected him before Sam murdered him. Now he's partnered with COWEL and coming after us and the rest of Wolf Kind again."

"What else did he say?" Aquila asked.

"He thought we were together." He chuckled.

"God, why do so many people think that?" She blushed and giggled.

"Just stop hanging around with her cuz; she's not good for you." Tarka added.

"Anyway, he said we need to look for the other major family artefacts. Each one we find they'll help us stop Sam again. It's up to us to stop him now."

"Any idea what they could be?" Peter asked.

"The bow was one, the feathers were another…" Jonah thought hard, there were so many possibilities.

"There could be many. We have too many heirlooms in our family and nobody knows where they are." Tarka added.

"We don't need to know what they are, just where they are."

"Where's your lighting girl when you need her now?" Peter chuckled.

"Lightening girl?" He questioned.

"That's what we're calling her now." Aquila giggled. "She appears a flash of light and the sound of lightening and disappears in it too, it's rather appropriate don't you think?"

"I guess." He chuckled. "She hasn't been?"

"Nope, none of us thought she would." Tarka replied. "If what you say is right, then you'll have to explain this to your uncle when we get there."

"I will." Jonah nodded. "How much further?"

"Another hour, not long now. We're heading straight to their den at the coast east of Portland."

"They live in sand dunes? That's rather risky isn't it?" Aquila questioned.

"If they can live there, then it must be safe."

They drove on and on for the next hour, cutting around the edge of Portland and heading directly east towards the coast. Jonah shared what knowledge he was given from both Scott and Dakota, it was a little easier now that the others had some belief in him, but that would soon be tested. He knew very well that there was a limit that they could take and handle, so he told them the bear minimum but in great detail. He had gained nearly all of their trust in this matter; he didn't want to and couldn't lose it now.

The smell of the sea drew ever closer and the sight soon followed along with the crystal clear views of the sunset. It was a thing worth paying to see, the sun setting over the distant horizon of the ocean. Peter had a rough idea where the den was, and his estimation was correct. After switching off the car, they all saw two wolves sat outside a burrow in a sand dune facing the ocean and admiring the setting sun. They jumped out, the sounds of the doors slamming shut caught the wolves' attention who instantly got to their paws and approached them. One of them was recognisable, but the other was a mystery.

"There you are." Henry smiled in relief they were finally here. "I was getting worried." He wrapped his paws around his nephew who returned to gesture.

"We're fine Uncle, just a few problems on the way."

"We were more worried about you." Aquila added.

"Don't be, thank you Peter, I couldn't have done this without you."

"Thank you for helping me with school, Sir." Then it came to the matter of who the second wolf was.

"Guys, I want you to meet Dave." He stepped back to the wolf's side. "This is the wolf of the den around here."

"Oh please, none of that now." He chuckled in a deep voice. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Dave, honey, who are you talking to?" A third wolf then emerged from the den in the sand dune, this time a she-wolf with black fur but white paws and white edges to her ear along with piercing grey eyes. She was beautiful to say the least, but clearly taken. A silver bracelet of some kind was around her left paw "I thought I heard you talking."

"Jonah, come here." Henry waved his paw for him to come closer, so he did.

"Oh, Jonah dear, It's so good to finally meet you." She sniffed, her eyes were bloodshot, she had been doing some extensive crying. She opened her paws to him, and by what Henry was motioning him to do he went with it and briefly wrapped his paws around her.

"So I take it you're Jackie?" He questioned.

"Yeah, that's me." She sniffed.

"Well I'm sorry to hear about your son. I wish I could have met him."

"Don't be, if what our ancestors told us about the afterlife them I'm sure he's happy." She weakly smiled and sniffed once more. "From what Henry tells me, you two would have made good friends."

"Yeah, I'm sure we would've." He went along with it, there was very little doubt that they would have got along greatly, but still, he didn't know the guy, so he couldn't know that for sure.

"Well come on in guys, come meet the rest of the gang." She added a moment before turning around and walking back down the small tunnel.

"I'm booked into a motel tonight not far away; I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Have a goodnight Peter, thank you so much."

"Hey, Uncle…" Jonah whispered as he walked to his side, letting Aquila go before him. "You'll never guess who I found." He gestured with his eyes back behind him, so Henry followed them to Tarka as he and Peter had a quick talk by the car.

"Who's that, I don't know him?"

"Like I said, you'll never guess."

"Really?" He laughed. "What happened on the way up here?"

"Oh, where do I begin?"

**A small chapter today guys, but an important one none the less. Henry is doing ok, everyone seems to be safe. But the Ditori have a new plan . What is it? One another note guys, Bastard from North and I don't have a great amount of readers for our story, Guardians of Jasper, so what i was hoping, was would any of you mind getting the word out about it? We would greatly appreciate it. As far as we know, we have about three readers, so the more we have, the more reviews we can and therefore the more criticisms we can get to help improve our story. We want feed back, not just "great chapter" or "love you're work guys" we want feedback, ways we can improve it and any future stories we may come up with. So please, as a favour, could you get the word out? In return, i'll let you in on a little secret, one that involves ASOW ;) Until next time. :)**

**The FalconWolf**


	12. Chapter 12 Meet the Relatives

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 12: Meet the Relatives

Jonah knew his task was to locate the family heirlooms and artefacts, but he didn't know if the den itself was one. For a burrow underneath a sand dune, it was more suited for a palace! It was enormous; it was like some underground network with separate tunnels leading to other rooms. It was incredible how these wolves made this. The first room they came into was the living room, sand and dirt spread everywhere as the walls, floor and ceiling, all compacted tightly and safe to be in. Well, it had to be for a very good reason. An archway in the left side of the room, supported with a few wooden beams for safety, led to a second room where meat and other foods were stored. To the right, the sleeping room where they all slept at night. Then there was a third tunnel right in the back that was a second way out should the main entrance become blocked. The odd human object was around this first room, a few blankets for comfort, water bowls for drinking.

A fourth room was later discovered through a short tunnel, this one was littered with both human and dog toys, specifically for children. It was big, nothing breakable in here. All for a very good reason. The family consisted of six wolves, just this family alone. There was Jackie, the descendant of Myka's bloodline, and her mate Dave. Then there was her, now, eldest, Rickie, Blake's identical twin brother. But recently, Jackie birthed a second litter of pups, two boys and a girl only one month old, Ted, Leon and Grace. So for that reason, the home needed extending, a fourth room was made for the pups to play in, the "playroom" it was called. It was appropriate and very much needed.

The pups were too young to understand what had happened to Blake, so all they needed to know was that he had gone to sleep and wouldn't wake up for a long time. They didn't understand, but of course they were a little upset because they weren't allowed to talk to him again, but the family assured them they still could after he was laid to rest. But until tomorrow, it was a subject they tried to stay off of. Right now, darkness has fallen completely outside, inside the den small lanterns were lit to keep things bright. They had just finished eating, Jonah now much more satisfied, he desperately needed it. "So Tarka, tell us a little about yourself." Henry said while looking across to him. They were all sat around the room, finding a comfortable place to talk while the pups and Rickie played in the playroom.

"Well, there's not really much to tell you really." He shrugged. "I live on my own, no brothers and sisters and my parents are travelling."

"Now, now dear, you're a Starnik descendant. There should be lots to say." Jackie added.

"Not really." Tarka shook his head. "I mean, I'm an art collector. I buy and sell on pieces of art and valuable artefacts for a living, so that's rather fun I guess."

"Ahh, hence how you came across the bow." Henry realised and looking back to it as it leaned against the side of the den in the corner.

"Yeah, I've been tracking it for months, first hearing about it when someone sold it from the truck of their car for fifty bucks."

"And you bought it for seven grand." Jonah chuckled.

"It was well worth it." Tarka chuckled back.

"This must be weird for you to hear." Jonah then added and turning to David who was curled up around Jackie's back. David was a rather unique looking wolf, his fur made out of three different colours. He had a dark brown at the tips of his ears and the tip of his tail, a grey going over most of his body and the rest of his tail and finally a black going over his paws. It's not a common thing.

"How did you react to meeting Jackie?" Tarka asked.

"I was surprised, that's for sure." He chuckled.

"How did you meet?" Aquila then asked.

"Ah, now that takes me back." He chuckled again and looking down to his mate who also giggled lightly and her tail wagged a little. "I used to work on a farm back then, working with the flocks and herds mostly. Miss here stupidly decided it would be fun to walk through the field and practise stalking the cattle." Jackie blushed and giggled nervously again. She was funny, she was nearly eleven years old yet she had the personality of a pup. "In the end, they got spooked and nearly trampled her. I just about tackled her out the way in time."

"Don't remind me, I'm defiantly not doing that again."

"I still remember looking into her eyes and couldn't break away from them."

"Or drooling on me." She added humorously, causing everyone else to laugh also.

"So love at first sight?" Tarka questioned.

"I think so; we had out first date the next day." Jackie nodded.

"It wasn't a date." Dave quickly added. "She came back to the farm while I was working, so I taught her how to really stalk and herd in the flocks."

"Aww, that's so sweet." Aquila responded.

"Rickie and Blake were our first blessing." Jackie soon added after they shared a brief kiss. "Although they weren't planned, it was an incredible day."

"Ha, I knew it!" Rickie exclaimed as he slithered out from the tunnel leading to the playroom. "I always knew it." Rickie was another like his father, a multicoloured wolf with a black body, a half white tail from the tip and half black the rest of the way, the white going around his ears like his mother along with the grey eyes and a grey underside. From what everyone else had gathered He and Blake were identical, only their parents could tell them apart.

"Sorry son, but it's true." Dave laughed.

"I don't care." He smiled and lying down beside them. "The trio are asleep; never ask me to pup-sit again."

"Do you have any choice?" Aquila asked.

"Nope, he doesn't." Jackie replied.

A second conversation was engaged, but Jonah needed to talk with Rickie, he hadn't had a chance until now. He shuffled across to his side, nudging him when he got there.

"I heard Blake was a Witch?" He question, wondering if Henry told him right.

"Yeah." He nodded "He was."

"So does that make you one?"

"Nope." He then shook his head. "The bastard was the only one; I don't have any kind of power." He chuckled lightly.

"He sounded a great guy; I wish I could have met him."

"Well look at me then, we're identical to each fur strand." A small laugh escaped each of them before silence then fell. It was a slight awkward moment between them, and Jonah was beginning to feel he had caused it. "Let's go outside, I don't want mom hearing this and getting upset."

"Sure." So he followed his distant cousin out and through the tunnel and into the dark sand dunes. The wind was a little heavy, so at first they both clenched their eyes to avoid getting sand in them. "You know, I bet the pups love playing up here. So many places to hide." Jonah wondered as he looked around.

"Yeah, they do, Blake taught them so many tricks to hide. He was always the best at hiding and me the finding."

"A good combination." Jonah added as they both turned right from the den entrance and taking a seat side by side on top of the sand dune their den was built under. Before them stretched the beach and sea, the moon almost at its fullest high in the sky. It was a rather beautiful sight to be honest, it could be romantic even. Once again, things were silent, and Jonah still had questions. "If you don't mind me asking…" He then continued. "What exactly happened?" Rickie took a shaky breath, somehow knowing this question was going to be asked at some point this night.

"It was a little under a month after the pups were born." He replied. "We all decided it would be fun to take a vacation to Idaho. They know all about the Starnik and that we're in their bloodline, but I just don't think they really understand how special that means. So anyway, we went there, staying for a week as we planned. After a few days, Blake had this crazy idea of going to find he temple the Starnik lived in, even though we all know it was destroyed, he thought it would be fun. I said no, so he went on his own; let's just say he never came home that night."

"Do you know what happened?"

"My guess was that he was followed and caught doing something he probably shouldn't. The stupid asshole just can't help himself sometimes." Jonah could see Rickie was in the verge of tears, but he was pulling through it. But he couldn't stop his eyes form at least watering. But Jonah knew the truth; he knew exactly what had happened. But the question was does he tell him? Does he bring him into something that could put his life in danger as well? No, he couldn't do that. "I sometimes wish…" Rickie then continued. "That if it was me with the powers, then it would have been me instead."

"Don't say things like that."

"Or if we both did, then I could try to talk to him again like Myka tried to." He ignored Jonah; this was beginning to take the plunge out of control. "She even resurrected her entire family; I could have done the same. Not for me, but for mom, for dad, for the others. It's not fair. If I had just gone with him then maybe…"

"Don't start that." Jonah interrupted. "Don't start that "it's all my fault" stuff." He was being serious, he wouldn't tolerate this."

"But it is." Rickie looked him right in the eye as a tear fell out of his. "If I had gone with them then maybe I could have done something to stop it from happening. It is all my fault."

"Look, the last thing you want to do is blame yourself." Jonah replied. "Trust me; you really don't want to do that. Things will only get worse."

"Have you ever lost anyone? Because if not you have no idea what I'm going through." He sniffed.

"My mom and dad." Jonah nodded. Instantly, Rickie now felt he had hit a rough subject. He fell silent for a moment, trying to understand how if Jonah had lost someone then why wasn't he in this state.

"But I thought Henry…Oh shit. Look, I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Jonah reassured. "It was along time ago, I miss them but I understood there's no point in trying to blame myself or that I'm never going to see them again."

"What happened?" Rickie asked. Jonah had no fear in talking about it. Like he said, he had overcome it and knew there was no point in getting upset.

"Just before I turned one, my dad came down with some kind of heart disease." He answered and looking back over the sea ahead of him. "We thought he was getting better, but he then suddenly got worse and never got better. He died in hospital with my mom, me and my uncle Henry, who was keeping me away, there. From then on, my mom started to act funny. She couldn't look after me that good so I was living with Henry most of the time. Only a few months later, she too was in the hospital for a damaged heart. As it turns out, it really is possible to die from heart break; a constant high amount of emotional stress can damage your heart strings and can eventually kill you if nothing is done. And that's exactly what happened, she couldn't live without my dad and she died after a week of being that sick. Since then I've been living with my uncle."

"I didn't know that was actually possible." Rickie sniffed again and wiping his cheek.

"I saw it, it's defiantly possible."

"But how do you cope?" Rickie then looked to him. "Each day I think of him and I can't not cry."

"It takes time." Jonah answered. "It didn't take me a week to get over it either, it took time. But trust me; you will get there as long as you have your family."

"It's just so hard." Rickie added after a moment. "We used to do everything together; we helped each other out all the time. It's just so hard I can hardly keep my eyes under control."

"Don't." Jonah replied, making Rickie a little confused. "Let them change, don't bottle things up. Whenever I got the chance I let them change so I didn't bottle things up. They're controlled by our emotions, so just let them go." There was no hiding things from one another, for they both had and are going through the same thing. So Jonah relaxed everything and let his eyes change into what runs in all Starnik bloodlines. He eyes swirled and changed green.

"I can't, I can't look weak. I've got to be strong for the others."

"Maybe, but they also need to learn how to be sensitive. They too will need to learn when to know how to let their eyes go." He didn't know what to do, he couldn't look weak, he had to be strong. He had to set an example to his younger siblings, he couldn't do this. He hung his head, a tear streaking down his muzzle as he kept it there and dripping off the end of his nose. It had to be worth a try. He lifted his head, his eyes now the same colour as Jonah's and a set of new fresh tears falling down his face. "Better?" Jonah asked.

"Better." Rickie smiled with a nod. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Jonah replied and shoving his shoulder. "We're family; we look out for each other."

It was a gloomy time the following morning, the day of the funeral finally upon them all. They were washed, they were groomed and they were in the graveyard. It was a small one, only a few people invited. All together, there were only around twenty people and wolves, close friends and family. The ceremony was yet to start, the last few people just turning up on this mournful day. Jonah and Rickie were to the side, talking amongst themselves and mostly about last night while the rest of the family spoke with others, being social. The graveyard, surprisingly, was a rather beautiful place. Flowers of different colours grew around the edges of it, more grew along the paths built towards the centre of the cemetery where a summerhouse stood, a kind of shelter from the sun or rain with no glass built in it to keep the winds out. But instead patterned wooden frames went around some parts of the sides; offer a little more shade and a place for more plants to grow up the side of them. That's where Jonah and Rickie were. The funeral was to take place just outside it, the small coffin laid on a stand, ready to be lowered into the ground.

From the group, Jackie could see them still there when really her son should be over here with her, especially now that it was about to start. So she excused herself to retrieve him. "Boy's, we're about to start."

"Ok mom, we'll be there shortly." Rickie nodded, so she smiled and turned around.

"We'll finish this later; we can change our eyes again together, ok?"

"Sure, thanks for this. I really appreciate this. I hardly know you, but I'm we're related."

"We're so distantly related that we may as well not be." Jonah chuckled.

Nearly fifteen minutes later, the ceremony was well underway. The family sat at the front of the rows of seats placed before the coffin for everyone else to sit in. The Funeral director said her parts, now she welcomed anyone to come up and pay their respects. This was not a religious funeral, they didn't pray to any god here. There were no crosses hanging around or angels, only on the gravestones of the others buried here. Of course, first the parents did, taking with them each a white Lily, clearly, even a hundred years later, the family's flower. They placed them on top the coffin and Jackie couldn't contain her tears, she struggled to say her quiet words. Dave was holding it together for the time being, but it was only going to be a matter of time. After a few moments, Dave had his side grinding against his mates side as they swapped places with their children. Rickie next took up his younger siblings, who were still to really understand what was happening. He simply told them to say their goodbyes before he was buried, but Grace, the youngest sibling of the three by a few minutes, said aloud. "Wake up soon Blake, you sleep too much." Jackie choked on another sob as one by one; Rickie lifted each one onto his back one by one to lay a flower on the coffin before bringing them back. Nobody moved, but Jonah then did, taking his own one with him. Aquila stepped up with him for confidence. They hopped up onto the coffin, using their forepaws to keep themselves stable to lay the flower down. They had nothing to say, neither knew him. On the coffin were not only the flowers, but also a journal of some kind. Jonah was already told that this was his spell book a diary.

"He's ok." Jonah whispered.

"What?" Aquila whispered back.

"Scott Starnik said he was happy." He said again, looking down at his paws and pretending to say a few words. "He's up there with them, he's happy with our ancestors."

"Well maybe you should tell them that." She suggested. "I'm sure they'd like to hear that." And with that she hopped down, leaving Jonah to make up his mind. This could either go ok or very wrong. But he felt he was obliged to say it. So he dropped back down and faced everyone.

"I didn't know Blake." He started, everyone thought he was taking his seat again, they didn't expect this. "I never knew he existed until nearly a week ago, that's how little I knew him. But from what I gather, he was a brother, a son and a great friend. Just because he had a gift, that didn't make him any less of those things. He didn't deserve what happened to him, it's not fair." This was it; this was where it could spiral out of control. "But I know for a fact that he's ok." There was no going back now. "He's up there with our family Jackie, I know he is." He looked her right in the eye. "He's with our ancestors; he's with all of them, learning more about us and where we came from. He's happy, not that he left you and your family, but because he can now watch with them as Rickie, Ted, Leon and Grace grow up. He…" He frozen for a moment as he found himself looking back down the path and into the summerhouse, where inside he saw a wolf who at first he thought was Rickie. But no, Rickie was sat just in front of him. This wolf was smiling, Blake was happy. But how? He didn't think pay to think about how he was seeing him. He looked like he was really there. "He would want you to never give up." He continued, watching the spirit sitting in the distance. People in the rows looked back to it, seeing nothing but an empty summerhouse. So what was Jonah seeing? "I can picture him smiling down on all of you, being there right beside in those times you think of him and wish he was there. If he had the choice, he wouldn't have left you; he would have fought until someone was there. But it happened so fast…" Why did he have his own tears beginning to fall? Was it the fact he was looking at a dead wolf and couldn't take his eyes off him? He was beginning to choke on his own words. "He'd wish…He'd wish that could see what he was seeing. The faces of our ancestors, the beauty of what lies there." Aquila got up and came to him.

"Jonah, come on, that's enough." He didn't listen.

"He's in great paws now, the…same our family before us are in. He's happy, healthy and in no pain. I know this…i-i-it's like he's standing right in front of me." He didn't take his eyes off him, but now Jonah really was beginning to cry. But over a wolf he didn't know? "He'd be sorry, he didn't want to leave, he wouldn't have left." He watched as Blake smiled, bowed his head slightly before getting up and walking to the side where he disappeared behind the wooden frame out of sight. "He loved you so much, I look at you all and I know he loves you with all his heart." He looked at each one of his family, a mixed variety of emotions on them. Confusion, thanks, upset, grief. He finished and walked down the aisle passed them, walking quickly straight to the summerhouse. Aquila went to go after him, but Henry grabbed her and shook his head. Clearly he needed time.

He knew what he saw, and he had to know why this wolf he never knew was making him cry and why he could see him. So still with watery eyes and wet cheeks, he stepped up those steps and walked inside, but it was empty. There was only one way in and out of here but Blake wasn't here. He looked all around him; he was the only person here. "Thank you." Someone then said behind him. He turned quickly after hearing the voice, seeing the same wolf standing by the stairs with a smile. He really was exactly like Rickie, only his voice as a little higher.

"How can I see you?" Jonah's first question was.

"You're stronger then you think." He answered. "Remember, its Starnik blood in our veins, the strongest form of blood to ever exist. No matter how many times we create a new generation, the Starnik genes can never be weakened."

"That's not explaining anything." Jonah sniffed.

"You're an extract." Blake then said after a moment of staring. "I read about them once, I just never met one."

"I can take powers for a while, I know that much."

"Oh you can do so much more then that." Blake chuckled and stepping into the summer house and coming right up to him. "You can extract the energy from just about anything. From a supernatural, a mortal, from a Starnik artefact even…me."

"You? But you're…"

"Dead? Yeah, I know." He replied with a reassuring smile. He didn't mind talking about it. "I was allowed to come here for a short time to talk to you, to tell you this. As spirit like me, beings like our ancestor Lupa Starnik and her mate could detect the energy we give off and manipulate it so they could see us. You're power is very similar. I can't help but give off the energy that I do, but you're body detected it and let you see me."

"I don't get it." Jonah shook his head. "I can see ghosts?"

"Pretty much." Blake nodded and chuckled. "My book has my energy on it, standing by the coffin made your body absorb it and let you see me. You don't have a choice."

"But why am I crying?" He sniffed again and pointing to his damp cheeks.

"I don't know you, yet here I am needing a frigging bucket."

"Perhaps seeing me, you subconsciously wish you could see someone else." Blake replied.

"Don't you start confusing me too." Jonah said. "I'm trying to handle this new power of mine."

"You will in time." Blake chuckled. "But for now, I have to. Thank you for saying those things."

"Wait, you can't go now!" He exclaimed. "You're confusing me more."

"She'll explain everything." He replied and pointing behind him. But behind him there was nothing. By the time Jonah looked back to the spirit, he was gone and instead he was looking at the wooden fence. It was a moment later that a light flashed behind him and the quieter sound of thunder crashed behind him. He knew exactly who it was.

"Ahh, the bad one." The mysterious lightening girl said as she stepped to his side and looked out the gap at the funeral. "I was told about this."

"A better landing this time?" Jonah asked and looking to his right at her, meeting with her strange orange eyes.

"I've more or less perfect it now." She replied with a light giggled. "Six tries it took, but hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere right?"

"A fast learner huh?"

"I take after my dad." She replied. There was moment of silence between them after Jonah sat down beside her, both of them watching as the funeral ceremony continued.

"So what's you're name?" He asked after a moment.

"Crap, I knew I was wrong." She seethed and hitting the floor in anger. "I just knew it! I've gotten everything mixed up!"

"What was wrong?" He asked, hoping he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Nothing, don't worry." She replied much calmer. "Things are confusing at the moment, for both of us. I'm still trying to get the hang of this after all."

"So what are you, a teleport?"

"Err…sorta." She replied. "It's complicated. But this will be the last time I see you for a while."

"How long is a while?" He asked. She thought for a second.

"A little over two months probably." She nodded; pretty sure she got it right.

"I guess you're going to tell me where we needed to go next?" He then questioned and looking back ahead of him.

"Not this time." She replied. "Because it's coming to you." She flashed and snapped in thunder before Jonah could ask what she was on about, of course leaving behind a scorch mark in the wood. It was second later that he hears someone coming; he had to hide it before the question of how t got there was asked. So he shuffled left and sat over it, looking up just as Jackie appeared.

"Jonah, are you ok?" She asked, evidence all over her face she had been crying extensively. No surprise there.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He nodded. "Just needed a moment is all." He smiled reassuringly. She did too and stepped right in, walking right up to his face.

"That was very sweet of you to say those things." She added. "Thank you honey."

"You're welcome, I know for a fact he's happy." He nodded respectfully.

"I'm sure he is too." It was then she inhaled after catching the scent of something, if confused her. "Can you smell burning?" He gulped.

"Nope." He lied after taking a few sniffs as well. He had to change the subject. "What a beautiful bracelet." He quickly added after spotting it. That bit wasn't a lie, it truly was. She looked down to it, lifting her paw as she did.

"Why thank you." Good, it worked. "It's very special to me." It was a sliver band, the one he saw her wearing last night but paid little attention to it. On closer inspection of it, it had symbols, none of which he recognised.

"What are these symbols?" He asked. "Greek?"

"There's a reason you won't know them." She giggled a little and sitting back. "This Bracelet was Myka Starnik's." He quickly pulled his paws away, very nearly touching them. "It's been passed down in the family since her time, and when Blake discovered his gift I gave it to him. It seemed fitting for him to have it at the time."

"Can I have a look at it?" He asked. What was it the lightening girl said? It didn't matter; the artefact was coming to him. Jackie slipped it off her wrist and placed it on the floor.

"I was going to wait and see if any of the kids have the same power or another. If they do I'll give it to them, if not, Rickie can have it to remember his brother."

"Can you do me a favour and get Henry for me?" He asked instead of saying anything else. Now was she confused, what on earth?

"Err…sure." She replied cautiously before turning her back to him and walking to get Henry. The funeral was over, more or less, now people were just hanging around before moving on.

Could it be? Another Starnik artefact! It had to be. Scott's bow, Dakota's mate's feathers, and now Myka's bracelet. It had to be. He held his claw over it, mere inches from the cold, looped steel, so eager to touch it.

"Henry!" Jackie called out as she neared, gaining Aquila's attention as well who stood just next to him.

"Jackie, what's up?" He asked as they stood before one another.

"I think Jonah's still a little upset, he's in the summerhouse wanting to talk to you."

"Jonah?" He questioned. "I didn't think he'd be that upset about all this." Aquila looked to the summerhouse, she couldn't see him, he was hidden behind the frame. But what she did see was a bright burst of white light above it that lasted for a few seconds before diminishing it.

"He's not upset." She said before running towards him. It took a moment to process it, but soon Henry and Jackie followed, after reaching the house, they found Jonah passed out on the floor, his body smoking and the bracelet held tightly in his paw, the only part that seemed to be contracted.

"Jonah!" Henry shouted and running to his side, feeling his chest and waiting for it to rise.

"He's fine." Aquila assured. "It's happening again."

"What's happening? Is he going to be ok?" Jackie asked.

"Another artefact." She replied. "Get Tarka and call Pete, and keep everyone out of here, he'll be out for a while."

"But what's happening?"

"He's seeing Myka Starnik."


	13. Chapter 13 The Perfect Funeral

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 13: The Perfect Funeral

Jonah was down and out for the count again; he has been for nearly an hour now. His paw was still clenched tightly around the bracelet, so there was point in trying to get it off him. It was the only part of him that seemed to have stiffened. The funeral was now over, the guests left after Jackie and David thanked them for coming and so on. This has turned out to be more eventful then they planned. They were still in the summerhouse; the plan was after Peter gets here they'll move back to the den and wait for him to wake up. But until he even got here, the pups made use of Jonah's body. "Get off him guys!" Rickie chuckled after seeing what they were doing. Grace stood on his head, pulling his ears up while Leon lifted his nose up and Ted pulled back his lips, revealing all his teeth. At the same time, they all let go and laughed hysterically, but they weren't done yet. They had many things planned for him. Aquila stood at the gap, waiting for something to happen while watching David, Henry and Jackie see off the last of the guests. Tarka approached, sitting beside her eventually after chuckling at the pup's latest idea for Jonah's face. "We need to take a picture of that. He'll do anything for us if we do."

"He wouldn't care, he'd gladly let it happen even if he was awake." Aquila sighed, her ears dropping and her head lowering. He saw this; maybe he should try cheering her up.

"Hey…" He nudged her with his shoulder and she looked up at him slightly. "He'll be fine; he has been the other times."

"I know." She sighed again. "But I don't think he wants this. I think it's too much for him."

"I don't know what he sees, but he's pretty persistent it's the Starnik." Tarka looked back to him as the pups began trying to lift his head. "What do you think he sees?"

"I don't know." She replied glumly. "He's seeing something, whether it really is the Starnik or just his mind thinking it is, he defiantly is. Everything that's happened can't just be a coincidence. I mean, that lightening girl knew things and pointed us to them just in time, she's connected to this somehow."

"You think she's causing it?"

"I don't know what to think anymore." She shook her head. "He needs comfort, so I'm just agreeing with him so he doesn't go crazy." Little did they know, Jonah heard every word.

In the frozen space of time Jonah was trapped in for the time being, he looked through a portal, something like a camera just to the right of the two and saw and heard everything they just said. His ears fell and as did his head. He thought they believed him, they didn't. It was a charade just to make him feel good; they didn't believe anything he said. "They'll come around in time." A voice said behind him. He had already spoken with it already. The portal closed in on itself and left nothing but the now frozen image of the graveyard where Henry, Jackie and Aquila were talking. He looked at his frozen friend, now wondering if she really was much of a friend. If she was, she'd believe him completely, she didn't, she's been lying this whole time.

"She's been lying to me." He muttered. "She's supposed to be my friend."

"She is." The voice grew nearer until; it came into view beside him. "She is doing what she thinks is right by you." Myka added while standing beside him, he didn't look at her; he kept his eyes on his "friend".

"If she was my friend then she'd tell me the truth." He snapped and walking out the summerhouse towards the grouping of people and wolves. She was back beside him in no time.

"Damn, you really are like my brother." She giggled. "So loyal and persistent."

"You still have magic this side of life, why can't you do something?"

"What is there to do?" She asked as they reached Aquila, her mouth frozen open mid-way through talking. "She's doing what a friend would do, comforting you."

"With a lie!" He exclaimed. "I'd rather hear a hard truth then be comforted with a lie."

"God, so like Dakota." Myka only giggled. He grunted and turned his back, taking a few steps away, growing ever more annoyed the more he thought about this betrayal. Myka was a mother already, and a grandmother! Yet in this perfect body she was middle aged, only a few years older then Jonah, so they had a close mind set. She could connect a little better.

"Listen sweetie." She said calmly while walking around Aquila and back to his side. "I was comforted with lies too. My adoptive parents never told me I was a Starnik until it was too late and I found out myself." He was intrigued, so he listened but didn't meet her gaze. "I went three years before I found out, three years living with a lie."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You have the chance to deal with this now. I didn't." She answered. "My first parents died before they got to tell me, so I never got to hear it from them or talk to them about it. You have this chance right now, she's here and ready to talk to you, so don't waste it."

"It'll be hard." He replied glumly and looking down at his paws. "I don't blame her for not believing me; I find it hard to believe all this is happening to me too, so trying to convince her is only harder."

"You have a lot of power; use that to find the next artefact. If you can convince them to follow you for long enough they'll come to see what we're trying to tell you."

"But that's the part even I don't get." He whined. "You want to me stop Sam, to kill him if I have to. How? Scott told me he's immortal, how do you kill someone who can't die?" Myka only began to giggle.

"Now that, my nephew, is the right answer."

"Don't you dare." He warned

"Don't spend to long here." She added right before fading away. Don't spend to long? What was there to go back to? Lies! That's what. He exhaled loudly as he looked back around at the people. His eyes darted from person to person, as he tried to think this over. What does he do now? Who does he talk to? But then his eyes froze on something, something that caused them to narrow in order to focus and see what it was. And he didn't like it. A white van parked by the side of the road, and inside his first thought instantly made him start running back to his body. Sam was in the passenger seat, a revolver behind loaded in his hand. He could already be too late; he knew each minute that passed was like an hour, he had been here long enough. He literally tackled his body, becoming consumed by white light in that instant.

The next thing, his eyes opened quickly, a loud gasp of a breath escaping him as he shot up to his paws. The pups standing over him screamed from the sudden freight and darted away to the closest parent of theirs. "HENRY!" He screamed himself.

"Jonah!" Henry shouted back and holding him still. "What's wrong?" He was breathing immensely fast; his heart was going to burst out his chest, or so it felt. He didn't answer, looking around everyone was here, watching him and wondering why he reacted the way he did. Everything was fine; if anything is was too quite other then the sound of distant cars. The pups shook as they huddled against each other and their father's chest. He gulped as he tried to settle himself down.

"I thought…" He panted. "I saw…"

"It's ok." Henry pulled him against him. "Everything's ok, we're all here."

"What happened?" Peter said after he jumped up the stairs and looking around just as frantically in thinking something was wrong. Soon after, Rickie, Jackie and Tarka came bursting in thinking the same thing.

"What did you see?" Aquila then asked. Jonah looked back at her, soon remembering exactly what had happened and what she said.

"Jonah?" Henry brought him back out of his trance. "What's wrong son?"

"You guys want proof?" He questioned. "Proof that what I'm seeing is real?" Everyone shared a crazed look, what was he one about. "There's your proof." He spun around and pointed to the white van still parked in the same place. Everyone moved to the gap to have a better look at what he was pointing too, Peter, Tarka and Aquila gasping in horror at the sight of one of the men inside, but also that fact both of them watching them keenly.

"Oh sh…" Tarka was about to curse

"Jackie, get the kids out of here." Jonah ordered and stopping his cousin from swearing in front of them. "Everyone just run."

"Who is that?" David asked. "It's COWEL." Quickly everyone saw how serious this had suddenly turned. "Go now!" Jackie picked up the first pups she came to; her daughter while David took one of his son's and after some convincing Henry took the other. "Peter, get them home safely. I'll eat you if you don't." He warned. As much as Peter wanted to stay and fight, he new it was right to get the little ones out of here as quick as possible. They all jumped over the railing at the back of the summerhouse and made for the car, and it was then that the humans made their move. Sam and the driver stepped out the car and out the back of the van three more stepped out. Jonah and Aquila stepped side by side to the gap in the house as the humans walked closer in a line, a weapon of different kinds in each person's hand.

"I'm not going anywhere." Rickie suddenly growled as he stepped up to Jonah's side and Tarka then the other beside Aquila.

"Rickie, it'll be safer…"

"These assholes killed my brother." He snarled. "It won't go unanswered for." Jonah looked back ahead; the asshole that killed Blake was walking right towards him. They didn't make a move; they showed they were strong and ready. It didn't intimidate them. Then they stopped, still in that line, a stare off beginning.

Peter slammed the car door after making sure everyone was in, so he took a quick glance back, but soon that turned into a disbelieved stare.

Evelyn sensed someone looking at her other then the wolves, and soon her and Peter's eyes met and locked. Peter was in shock, as was Evelyn. She knew he was with these wolves, but she never expected that they'd meet like this.

The stand off continued for a while, the tension building with each second. But sooner or later, something had to snap, and Nathan was the first. He reached up his arm and fired, a bullet barely grazing against Tarka's pelt. He and everyone else dived left or right and covered their heads. If there should be dramatic music then now was the time. Soon the rest began firing on hopes of hitting them. Well, all but Evelyn. She didn't fire, she ran back and then left towards the road, a different goal in her mind, Peter. He saw her coming and reacted, running around the other side and jumping in the car. "Keep you heads down!" He ordered as the gun fire snapped and cracked around them. The pups cried loudly and Dave practically laid over his entire family, children and mate. He started the car, shifted it in gear and began to drive; the only problem was that he needed to turn around. So he did, and as soon as he did a bullet crashed through the glass and into the seat right next to his shoulder. His jaw dropped and an angered expression covered his face as he looked ahead of him, seeing Evelyn stood with a grin and a smoking gun pointed at him in the middle of the road. He placed the car in gear again and revved it, she knew what was coming. Suddenly, the car rocketed forwards. Evelyn began firing as she ran towards the speeding car, Peter intending to mow her down with it. Bullets smashed through the glass, shards glistening as they came separate from the wind shield and flew into him and everyone in the back.

"AQUILA! Hit me!" Jonah shouted. But being on the other side of the summerhouse from each other, it wasn't easy. So what Jonah did was risk it all and dive across the other side of her, tapping her shoulder as he jumped and landing in one piece. Jonah's eyes flashing as he received her energy and power, as a result, they were able to return the fire. They flung their paws over the top, firing their own power back at them. Sam didn't expect this; he didn't expect to see anything. He ordered everyone take cover, and it was at that moment a woman beside him was struck full force by one of the blasts and hurtled backwards and crashing through a gravestone. Sam himself dove behind a large stone plant pot big enough to off him cover.

"Man I love a good funeral." He snickered before standing back up and firing.

"Stay down!" Peter shouted as bullets passed mere millimetres from his head. The car was rain with twelve bullets all together until Evelyn made the mistake of using them all up. She gasped and looked at the empty weapon as she stopped running. She looked up, the car was nearly there. In a last ditch attempt to survive, she fell backwards right as the car was upon her. Sure, it hurt her back and head, but the car passed over her and the car sped away. She panted, in disbelief that he would do that. She rolled onto her front, staying on the ground as she watched the car speed around a corner. Believe it or not, she was actually laughing.

"I can't believe he did it." She laughed. "That little bastard."

Meanwhile, things weren't getting any better for the wolves. Tarka and Rickie weren't of any use here. Jonah dusked again, wooden splinters burst out of the wooden walls around them as bullets flew out with them. Jonah knew they couldn't stay here. "Tarka, Rickie, get out of here!" He shouted.

"What?" Tarka exclaimed.

"There's nothing you can do, so run. Get out of here now!" Like Peter, as much as he wanted to stay and fight, he too saw there was no use in staying, he'd only end up hurt or worse, dead! But suddenly, one more shot was fired before things went quiet, they had stopped firing. Why? What were they up to?

"Is anyone alive in there?" A mocking voice asked. Nobody said a word, should they? They could play dead; they could set this as a trap. Or maybe not…

"You killed my brother you piece of shit!" Rickie bellowed. So that idea had gone to waste, Aquila shook her head at the stupid mistake he made. Suddenly, another single bullet fired and pierced through the wood, luckily this time not near any of them, but it was enough to keep them weary.

"Just shut up!" Tarka seethed.

"Come on out, let's talk things over." Before anyone could react or stop him, Jonah leapt out into the gap and in plain view of them. Nothing was to stop them from gunning him down right now. All but Sam flinched at seeing him, but nobody fired.

"I know who you are!" Jonah declared.

"Is that so?" Sam asked back intrigued. Evelyn happened to run behind them all, right up to Nathan who grabbed and hugged her briefly. Aquila, who peaked around the side, couldn't help but see their whispering and affection to one another, but also the shock on his face after she whispered and nodded her head as if to confirm something. But just as quickly she hid herself again.

"Sam, Starnik power thief and enemy of my ancestors!" Jonah answered.

"Ahh, so you're a Starnik."

"So am I!" Tarka declared and stepping around the side to join him.

"And me!" Rickie announced proudly while doing the same.

"And what about your girlfriend back there?" Sam then teased.

"I was dragged into this!" She answered, causing the humans to laugh as she stepped out and stood just behind her friends.

"Jonah, what do we do?" Tarka whispered.

"I don't know." He seethed back, insisting that he stays quiet.

"Oh, what a shame." Sam replied after he calm down.

"You should have never left the circus sweetie!" Evelyn then added. "How are you going to get out of this one, cartwheel yourself out?" Once again, everyone began to laugh and snicker to themselves.

"You wanna see what I can do? Then come and step into my room!" She suggested and pointing back to the summerhouse.

"Aquila, what are you doing?" Jonah whispered.

"Trust me." She replied. "Like you say, I'm not getting out of here." She continued while stepping back. "This is my tent now." It was working; the humans began to advance forward, falling right into her trap. "For my first act, I shall need a volunteer." She immediately grabbed Jonah and pulled him against his side. "You two duck when I say." The then added with gritted teeth and referring to Tarka and Rickie. Nobody understood, not even Jonah. They were now literally just outside, less then ten feet away in front of them.

"Tell you what." Sam suggested. "If you can impress us enough, then perhaps you can come back with us to entertain the rest of us."

"No pressure then right?" She replied sarcastically and standing in front of Jonah. "When I jump, catch me and do it again."

"Do what again?" He asked stressfully that this was a stupid thing; she was going to kill them! She had one last look around; all the humans were close enough.

"One, two…three!" She then leapt high into the air, a moment that seemed to feel like it slowed down. She jump and began to twist ion the air, a somersault with that twist in it. Instantly, in that split second, both Nathan and Evelyn saw what was coming; they had felt the brunt of it before. As she started to come down to land, Jonah took a step back to catch her, a thought of what she had planned coming to mind and Nathan grabbed and pulled back his girlfriend. The moment Jonah made contact with Aquila, Tarka and Rickie hit the ground and Sam saw that something was up, but it was too late to react. Nathan and Evelyn fell to the concrete just in time for the telekinetic blast to avoid them. The summerhouse literally exploded as the domed blast expanded outwards and reduced it to nothing. Sam and the second man didn't move in time, so as a result they were catapulted back and far across, landing as far as fifty feet from the summerhouse. Sam crashed into a tomb like gravestone, his bones reduced to dust, for the time being anyway. The second man, well…he went through the window of the van, smashing and mutilating his body in ways that would disgust all. Most of the interior was covered in a layer of blood.

The heat wave like blur faded away, and in the epicentre of the rubble and destruction was Aquila and Jonah, her…oh, lying over him. He didn't catch her; instead she landed on him, her legs floppy and her entire weight on his body. She groaned and lifted her head, that one took a lot out of her. Jonah was fine, or so he seemed to be, he was groaning and whining just as much as she. She gritted her teeth as she pulled her head back. "Are you ok?"

"I was…right until your paw kicked me in the testicles." She rolled off him, flopping over onto her back, groaning now in disgust and as she did that he groaned louder in a mixture of pain and relief. "Ahh…thank you."

"Don't mention it." She panted. Things would have to wait however, for in the distance police sirens could be heard.

"Come on, we've got move." Tarka said after he came to their sides.

"Evelyn…" They heard someone mutter. As Aquila picked herself up, they looked down the few concrete steps to find out someone had survived. A man sat on his heels cradling a woman, a large piece of wood protruding out of her bloodied side which she and he held. "Come on, just stay awake." He muttered and brushed her hair back. "Help is coming, you hear it?"

"Come on, let's go." Rickie said after helping Jonah up.

"We can't leave them." Aquila retaliated. Nathan heard them, how did they survive that?! His and Aquila's eyes met.

"They wouldn't help us." Jonah replied. "Now come on, before the police get here." She was reluctant; she couldn't take her eyes off the pleading ones looking back at her. But Jonah had a point. These people wouldn't help her if it was the other way around. So she left with them, leaving Nathan to cradle Evelyn just as the police skidded to a halt just in the distance.


	14. Chapter 14 Moving On

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 14: Moving On

There was no choice but to run back to the coast, so as exhausted as Jonah and Aquila both were, they still had to. All Tarka, Rickie and Jonah knew the stories of the Starnik better then anyone that wasn't in the family, and they all knew that Sam was a sick man hell bent on doing absolutely anything he has to, to complete his goal. That even went as far as interrupting a funeral, again! That just goes to prove how deranged this man is, he'd go as far as adding more murder where there was already death. Today was supposed to be a day of mourning, not bloodshed, yet the human insisted. COWEL were no longer that petty organisation, they were now the Ditori, a far greater threat that would go to more extreme lengths to end Wolf Kind. And now that they had Sam who had all of eternity, they had all the time in the world.

So they were safe for now, the den was pretty well hidden in the sand dunes so it was hard enough to find, not for a wolf anyway. They had to see if everyone was ok, if the pups were hurt in anyway then Rickie wouldn't handle it, he'd somehow find a way of blaming himself. They set down an even paced jog, but it still took them over an hour to run back all the way to the den. Peter, for obvious reasons, sat on his car bonnet fiddling with a reed seeing as he couldn't fit inside the tunnel. Other then the face of boredom, he seemed ok other then the small scratch on his cheek. Maybe also a little bit annoyed after they saw his wind shield smashed to oblivion, so that was another explanation probably. "Is…everyone ok?" Tarka panted, all of them, other then Rickie who dived down the tunnel to find his family, stopped outside, their tongues hanging out the sides of their mouth from the speed and distance they had run. Before Peter could answer, they all heard the loud; pained cry of someone, and it was a terribly young voice.

"Does that answer your question?" They weren't sure what to think, so instead they ran down the hole in single file. Coming into the light of the den, Rickie was embrace two of his siblings with Jackie while Henry and David seemed to be gathered around the third, Leon. He cried loudly, but why?

"Henry what's…?" Jonah then stepped on something. He lifted his paw and looked down; a shard of glass lay on the floor with the end covered in blood. What had happened?!

"He needs a vet right now." Henry concluded and David cradled the crying pup. Jonah could now see what was happening. The small pup in huddled against David's chest was hurt; his right foreleg bleeding heavily, well, not so much while David had his paw clamped around it. The splinter was only an inch long, but on a pup this size it can do a lot of damage. "He's going to need stitches."

"Is it safe?" Jackie wept.

"It's safe." Tarka replied. "Take him now, we'll stay with them."

"Are you sure?" Jackie asked with a sniff.

"We're sure." Aquila nodded. "Peter's still outside, hurry."

"Come on son." David lowered himself so Leon could clamber on board and Henry gave him a paw. "Up you get, keep hold of that paw."

"You'll be ok baby." Jackie continued to cry while walking beside her mate and screaming pup. Jonah watching them carefully begin to crawl out of the tunnel, and as he did Henry then stepped in front of him.

"What happened after we left?"

"What do you think? They tried to kill us." Jonah replied.

"And what did you do?" Jonah didn't have to say anything; the look in his eye told Henry everything. He exhaled loudly.

"You didn't have a choice." Henry comforted. "You did what you had to do."

"I don't want to kill Henry." Jonah muttered. "I don't know how the Starnik did it, but I can't."

"I'm sure they didn't want to either." He replied softly. "But sometimes we have to do things we don't want to, to protect our family."

"I know." Jonah understood. "They say I'm supposed to kill Sam, but they haven't told me how yet."

"We'll talk about that when we get back." He nodded; this talk defiantly wasn't over yet. "Everything will be fine, don't worry."

"Just be careful out there."

It was getting dark before they even knew it, it made Jonah question how long he was out for. The funeral took place just before mid-day, and being near the end of autumn it was nearly dark, so he had to have been out for at least five hours. He was amazed that they didn't try and move him. In fact, why didn't they? The coffin was underground by the time he came around and Peter was already there with the car, so why didn't they move him? Why did they hang around? He'd ask them when they got back, but for now, it was a time to calm down. Ted and Grace were sleeping, Ted beside Rickie who also slept soundly with a slight snore and Grace against Aquila's chest, surprisingly. Nobody thought that would happen, but the little one took quite a shine to her after they left. It had been an eventful day, so the pups were shattered and needed it desperately. Jonah was sure Aquila was also asleep, the bottom of her neck lying over the young pup to keep her covered and warm.

Jonah wasn't, he sat looking down at her, a smile on hers and the pups face as they slept. He was angry though, he never had a chance to think about to until now when it came to mind. She's been lying to him all this time, she doesn't believe him about anything he's been saying, none of them have! How deep did this go? Jackie, Rickie…Henry? Did any of them believe him? He assumed that Henry told Jackie when he passed out, did any of them believe him or did they just agree with him to make him feel good? In a worse case scenario, how does he get them to believe him? He needed them to believe him, or else this just wasn't going to work. He couldn't drag them along with him if they didn't believe him, it wasn't fair on them. For all they knew, he was leading them on a wild goose chase around the country. Still, he expected Aquila out of all of them to believe him. But she didn't. He didn't want to ruin their friendship; they had a strong bond that he never wanted to sever. In that moment he made a choice, and he took it.

He stood up, walked towards her and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry." He whispered. He then turned around and began to walk out the den. It was a foolish thing, because Aquila was awake, she never went to sleep. He stepped out into the dusk of the night, the wind blowing a slight gale and the sand around him. He hated to do this, but it was better for him and everyone else.

"Sorry for what?" Aquila asked as she stepped out the den behind him. She was awake? He didn't know. He didn't look back at her; he just froze and looked ahead of him. "You're leaving?" She managed to piece it al together.

"It's better for us all this way." He replied and continuing to look ahead of him. He just couldn't look at her.

"How is it better?" She asked. "They're after us, you even more. You go out there on your own and you won't last a minute without my power."

"I don't need you power." He growled and turning back to face her. "I don't need your power or you!" He snapped, his eyes flaring in green to show his anger towards her.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked, a slight hint of fear towards him.

"Me? What's wrong with you?" He asked back.

"I don't know what…"

"Oh, I know exactly what you're talking about." He interrupted. "I heard everything while I was out. I know exactly what you and Tarka were talking about." Her face turned into that of shock.

"But you were passed out." She couldn't believe it.

"Myka still has her powers up there." He replied. "She showed me what you two were talking about."

"Jonah, I'm sorry." She began to plead. She truly was.

"Don't be." He replied, his eyes returning to their original brown. "I'm the one who's sorry for dragging you with me to these things."

"And you're leaving because of that?"

"I'm leaving because I found out my best friend has been comforting me with lies for the last few days now. I'm also leaving because it's not fair that I have to drag you, Peter and Tarka along for the ride."

"Who said you have to drag me?" She asked. "Yeah, I lied to you. But I never said that I wasn't having fun." She walked right up to him, standing right in his face. "You're the reason I need protecting, you're not the only reason I might have from wanting to leave. But I'm not going to. I'm not leaving because I have my amazing best friend with me to make what I thought was scary a lot more interesting." She was smiling, but Jonah wasn't, he was still determined to leave. "Look, this is just a hard thing to understand."

"I know." He sighed and lowering his head. "But I know just as much as you do, this is confusing for me too."

"But we can make this work." He lifted his head after she said that. What was she on about? "I believe you're seeing something, whether it really is the Starnik or not. But whatever it is, you've been leading us in the right direction. This lightening girl plays a part in all this so…"

"Oh yeah, that's what you call me isn't it?" Speak of the devil, there she was, walking towards them from the beach, but her was fur soaked as if she had just gone swimming. She was dripping wet as she walked towards them and started to shake herself dry, drops of water flying off everywhere and even at them.

"Where did you come from?" Jonah asked just before she finished, her fur spiking out wildly in all direction.

"I landed in the sea; I still suck at the landings." She shivered.

"I thought you said you perfected it now?" He chuckled. "And that we weren't going to see you again for two months. Missing us already?" She didn't seem so amused, only deeply confused.

"When did I say that?" She asked, genuinely confused. "I may be a fast learner but I'm not that fast. I can't land perfectly with only three jumps."

"Three? But this is the…"

"Anyway…" Aquila stopped Jonah. "How can we help you?"

"No, no, how can I help YOU is the right question." She giggled. "I maybe nearly two years old but I can take care of myself and teach people things."

"Huh?" Jonah simply mumbled.

"North The she-wolf replied and shaking her head, they didn't understand. "You need to go north again."

"What? North where?"

"To Kalispell, or better yet, to the first home of the Starnik. The den both Rosie and Scott Starnik both lived in after discovering the prophecy."

"Where are you getting all this from?" Aquila then asked. "Is someone telling you to do this?"

"You should know." The she-wolf replied, but then she realised something. "Actually, wait…no you won't." She never said a word due to vanishing again in her sound and flash, leaving behind that burned area she was sat in that smoked a little.

"Ok, this girl is officially starting to annoy me." Aquila grumbled.

"You're telling me." Jonah chuckled. The two then looked at one another, a silence dwelling between them as the thought of what they were talking about before came back to their realisation. "Look, I don't know where she's making us go, but every time we follow her COWEL are there." He continued. "I'm going, I need to find my family's artefacts and find out how to stop Sam. This girl knows where the artefacts are; clearly someone is sending her to us to tell us where they are. I'm not going to make you come."

"Jonah, you really don't get me do you?" She grinned and stepping right back up to him. "You're my best friend, no matter how crazy you get, I'm not going anywhere without you. I've been having the most fun ever since we left the city, I don't want it to stop now."

"If only Tarka and Peter thought the same." He replied.

"Let me talk to them, I'll convince them." She nodded. "Now can we please go back inside, it's so windy up here?" She shivered and laughed. He laughed with her.

"Come on." He smiled as they walked back to the tunnel.

"You better tell Henry before we leave, he'll want to know."

"Of course, I'm not leaving now without him knowing and until I hear my little cousins ok."

"Good, now where's Grace? I want another cuddle. She's so adorable!" She exclaimed eagerly as they began to go back down the tunnel.

Meanwhile, Nathan sat on the edge of his girlfriend's bed. She was asleep, she needed to rest. The doctors recommended she takes it easy for the time being to recover. The piece of wood was removed and stitches closed the gaping hole it left in her side. She'd make a full recovery as long as she took it easy. Nathan was amongst a mixture of feelings. Joy that she was going to be ok, guilt ridden that this happened to her, but more then anything, extremely pissed of that Sam let this happen to her, his own family! So he didn't take kindly to when he walked into the room, even with his sympathetic face. "Get out!" He snapped and pointing back to the door. "We don't want anything more to do with you. None of COWEL do."

"Look, I understand you're angry, but just hear me out." He begged. Nathan continued to glare angrily at him, but he listened none the less. "I've just heard that our teams from Kalispell couldn't retrieve any data, so that project has failed." He continued. "But, what we have discovered this side this something far greater." Nathan didn't ask what it could be; he knew Sam would tell him either way. "You may not have seen, but before the summerhouse exploded, only one of them was shooting."

"So?" Nathan then scoffed.

"So…Only you're little friend who you've been tracking for months has that power, the other doesn't."

"And that means?"

"What it means is that the Starnik these days don't have powers." He grinned. "All but one. Didn't you see that they touched one another before it exploded?" It was like that moment flashed before his eyes, like he was re-living it all over again. He saw it, none of it happened until the two first high-fived or were touching one another. "If we can keep those two apart next time we see them, then they'll only have half the firepower to attack back with. If we can remove one of them from the situation, then the other is no longer a threat."

"We've been trying to take her out for nearly a year, what makes you think you might know how?"

"Let's take this outside, I don't' want to wake her." Sam opened the door and waited. Nathan was reluctant to leave Evelyn, but this was what COWEL could have been dreaming of for a long time. So he kissed her hand and walked out with Sam.

Peter did what was right; he took his friends and the still wailing pup to the emergency vet. Last he heard before he left, Leon was going to be perfectly fine. He was lucky it didn't go into his chest, for a pup his size it would have killed him there and then. But he couldn't hang around, he had some business to attend to, hence why he was here. Walking through the hospital corridors and going up the elevator, he came to this one room. Opening it, there she was. He gulped as he gently shut it, careful not to wake her up. With one hand behind his back, concealing the item he had gripped tightly in his hand, he moved in towards her, an eager glare to do this spread across his face. He was going to do this, there wasn't going to be another chance after this.

**Hey guys, a short chapter here today. I'l admit, i struggled with this one, but i had a little help to get it done. Things are getting confusing, can anyone try and guess who they think this girl could be? I'll give browny points to anyone who can guess it. And sorry Northie, cliffhanger. Don't hate me too much. :S Until next time! *starts running away.***

**The FalconWolf**


	15. Chapter 15 The Quest Continues

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 15: The Quest Continues

Fluttering her eyes open, Evelyn looked around the room. She was surprised to find Nathan no longer here after he promised her he would be by the time she woke up. Yet he wasn't. She smacked her lips, the IV drip beside her was empty and she began to grow thirsty. She groaned as she shuffled around to try and sit up, quickly remember the large, deep wound in her abdomen that made her lie back down. Nathan had to be back soon, she'd just lie here and wait for him to come back and help her sit up…Nope, her back was aching, she needed to sit up. She placed her hands underneath her ad began to shuffle back, and it was then she felt something. Looking down to her right hand, a bouquet of wonderful flowers lay beside her. She just knew Nathan would leave without doing something like this.

She eventually managed to push herself up, through the pain; she was still able to smile as she pulled the flowers closer and into her hands. They were beautiful roses and tulips of all colours and sizes. She buried her face into them and inhaled deeply of their wonderful scents. These were her favourite flowers; Nathan was such a sweet heart. Her nose then brushed against something hard and flat, so she pulled back to find a card buried into them. Curious as to what he must have left her, she pulled it out and read it. It wasn't his handwriting. _"Nice try, you were always a bad shot. Peter."_ Her face instantly contorted into anger and her left hand began to tense around the flowers and crush them. It was only a matter of time, and right as the door opened, that she threw them across the room and narrowly avoiding Nathan's head as he walked in. "Sorry, did I do something wrong already?" He chuckled as he shut the door.

"Not you, our favourite little shit did." She snarled and presenting him with the card. He was here? How did he get in, how did he find them?

Meanwhile, tempers were flying as a conclusion was trying to be made back at the sandy den. It took place outside down by the sea. The pups needed some playtime and to take their mind of things so a swim in the sea did them some good. Apart from little Leon that is. He was going to be perfectly fine. Five stitches were all it took and some antibiotics, but he had to take it easy and stay out of the water. Salt in wounds wasn't the most sensible things to do now. He had a limp that didn't seem to bother him much, he still laughed and played around, just taking the vet's and his parents advice to be gentle. Even his brothers and sisters were being careful, for pups they understood very well.

Anyway, while David tried to keep them all out of the water for the time being, Jackie, Rickie, Jonah, Aquila, Tarka and Henry sat a little distance away talking about how things would carry from here on. It wasn't going well. After everything, Henry seemed to be the only one who genuinely believed Jonah with what he was proclaiming. He knew and understood the true power of the Starnik, he seemed to understand it more then Rickie, Jackie and Tarka, so he knew it were very possible. Aquila agreed with most of it. She believed he was seeing something, but whether it really was the Starnik or not was another deal. She thought it as just his mind making up an intelligent entity to talk to him. Either way, whoever it was, they were leading him to places that helped them. Tarka didn't believe any of it, he didn't know enough about his distant cousin to understand his power. Rickie, he was more or less in the same place as Aquila, as were Jackie. David didn't want to interfere; this was Starnik business, something he wouldn't understand. Besides, he was happy being right where he was now.

One thing remained, Peter. He had taken his car to get repaired, the nearest place was thirty minutes away, and without a car he'd have to walk back, hence why he wasn't here. Still, that was over two hours ago now, he should have been back by now or any time now. He must have had other errands to run. "You've got to be kidding me?" Tarka exclaimed. "You want to lead us on another wild goose chase?"

"Sorry, but I'm totally lost here." Jackie added with confusion still shrouding her. "So you need to find artefacts of our family just because some crazy little girl tells you to?"

"She's been leading us right so far." Jonah nodded. "Each time she's come, we've found on and the Starnik have told me things."

"But not how we stop this Sam guy right." Rickie questioned.

"Wait, wait, wait…We?" Aquila added after catching that one word.

"You really think I'm going to let my brother's murderer get away?" He questioned. "I'm in on this now."

"Nuh uh young man." Jackie said sternly. "Never in a million years."

"We'll talk about it later." Henry added. "So there's five Starnik for five artefacts…" He continued as he and everyone else looked down to the wet sand in the middle of them all. Carved into sand, each one of the five Starnik names were written and underneath three of them were the artefacts linked to them. "So first there was Dakota with the bow and then Scott with the feathers."

"Scott told me he and Dakota switched energies on the objects to talk to me in a certain order. So I saw Dakota with the bow and Scott with the feathers and after that I saw Myka with the bracelet."

"Ok, now that leaves two." Aquila then circled the last remaining names. "Rosie and Lupa."

"The lightening girl came to us the night we left San Francesco." Jonah then added. "She led us to the bow, then to the feathers and then to the bracelet. She came to us again last night saying we needed to head north to Montana to find the den they first lived in. If we can find something there then she'll lead us to the last one."

"But the question remains." Henry replied. "What artefacts did they have?"

"None that I know of." Jackie answered, everyone agreeing with her. "It's got to be something to do with Rosie. After all, none of their children lived there for long, so I doubt they'd have left anything there."

"Rosie was very in touch with not letting human interfere with her wolf nature. She didn't even like the thought of Lupa, Dakota and Myka moving out to live else where because wolves don't do that, we stay in a pack." Tarka informed.

"But not these days." Rickie chuckled. "There are hardly any packs in these times."

"That's not the point." Tarka then added. "The point is she didn't want to start becoming a part of the human things. She wanted to stay a wolf inside and out. So therefore she didn't wear or do anything that separated her from who she was."

"Then what the heck could she have left behind?" Jonah then exclaimed. "I need to find them. I don't want to drag you guys with me but I at least need your help in trying to figure out what I'm looking for."

"Your guess is as good as ours sweetie." Jackie replied calmly and motherly.

"There's one more problem guys." Tarka brought up, making all eyes fall on him. "That den will be over one hundred years old, either it was cleared out before they died or somebody found it to take everything. All the time it's been there, you'd think somebody would have found it by now and raided it."

"Do you not know your family history enough?" Jonah chuckled. "If so, then you should know that Myka cast a spell over theirs and her den so nobody could find it but their family."

"Another of her illusion spells to hide the plain obvious." Henry added.

"If that's the case, how do you intend to find it?" Rickie asked. "Also, how do you get up there without a car or a live Starnik to find it?"

"That's another point…" Jonah mumbled. "Peter guessed his car won't be ready for another few days."

"And in that time COWEL and Sam will catch back up with us." Aquila added doubtfully. There was a hinging silence in the air, nothing positive other then Rickie's proud, smug grin.

"Well, it's a good thing you've got me then."

Only a few minutes later, in that same spot, Rickie had his ingenious idea in full swing. Inside the den, he had his own room, block out of sight of the pups so they didn't venture inside. Before Rickie, a metal pot half filled with sea water along with some specially mixed herbs, selected parts of animals like crows feet and lastly a few spices. Jackie never liked things like this, mainly because of some of the ingredients made her stomach twist just by looking at them. So she was with the rest of her family by the water front. "I thought Blake was the witch?" Jonah questioned with a grin as he looked up to him.

"He was, but I was always better at the potions then him. He did spells, I did this."

"So you don't need to be one to do this?" Tarka wondered.

"Nope, you don't. After all, you ancestor gave up his powers after meeting Lupa but still did things like this."

"You're talking about the Dire Wolf right? Faolan?"

"You don't look part Dire Wolf." Aquila stifled a giggle.

"That gene is long gone. Besides, I'm actually just above the average height, and I like it. As do the ladies." He winked back at her. She played alone and mimicked him while still laughing.

"So what exactly does this do"? Jonah then asked and turning back to the real subject. So far, inside were the basic ingredients to any potion along with some the this certain one needed, to make the potion do what it's created for, it needed its own certain things, some vital parts to make it work as it's supposed to.

"Falcon feathers for speed." He said as he threw in two flight feathers of an eagle. "Part of the earth we stand on." He next scooped up a paw's worth of sand and tossed it in a little at a time. "I need a piece of fur from each of you."

"What?" Aquila asked. He didn't answer; he just scraped his paw down his leg while holding it over the pot, dropping plenty of hair inside. So they copied him, Jonah went next, then Aquila and the Tarka. Each strand that landed in the liquid made it fizz. But suddenly, a human hand came down over them and dropped a couple of hairs in that also fizzed like boiling water.

"Peter?" Henry exclaimed. "Where the hell have you been?"

"It's a long walk back from Portland you know." He replied honestly. "Anyone going to fill me in?"

"Five shards of sapphire..." Rickie continued and dropping the last few remaining parts in. "Three germinis petals and finally…stand back everyone." He warned while holding the last just above the pot. Nobody understood why, but they listened and did as they were told, each taking a couple if steps back. "A finally, one quarter." He dropped it and pounced back, within a few seconds, the pot suddenly, exploded with sparks, smoke and a loud bang. It made Aquila scream from the initial freight. It was a good thing the pot was made of metal; this was actually the reason why. Every good potion will explode like this if it worked, but nobody seemed top notice that.

"Well that was great." Peter said glumly. "Now what, you start again?"

"A quarter?" Jonah questioned.

"Well, it's a fifty-fifty chance that it'll work, so it's relevant." He chuckled as he looked inside. "Perfect, Tarka, if you go inside the den and go left into the corner is mine and Blake's store; could you bring me two glass vials please?" Tarka nodded and jogged towards the den.

"So wait…it worked?" Aquila asked.

"Oh yeah, my concoctions always work. You insult me." Rickie snickered.

"You haven't told us yet, what is it son?" Henry asked.

"Well, without a car, we need a way of getting around. This here is a teleportation brew. Enough for two trips."

"You've got to be kidding me?!" Jonah exclaimed while looking into the now purple liquid. But strangely there was now much less liquid in there. "This is so cool. You've got to teach me how to make this."

"So why did I put my hair in that?" Peter then asked.

"It's so the potion knows who to take with it." Suddenly, Peter knew he made a mistake. "So once we use it, anyone whose hair is in this will be brought with us."

"Great, another wild goose chase." He smacked his arms against his sides, now regretting making this decision badly.

"We need to let it stand first." Rickie then added. "It takes nearly twelve hours for it to be completely ready, so this time tomorrow morning we'll be ready to go."

"You keep saying "we"." Aquila said again, bringing this up once more. Rickie looked back, his mother, father and siblings were too preoccupied to hear.

"I'm coming with you." He said again. "I need to see that my brother's killer is put down. Besides, I can help you with things like this." He gestured down to the pot before them. "Just don't tell my mom, I'll talk to her tonight and get dad to try too. But no matter what she says, I'm coming too."


	16. Chapter 16 Flirtatious

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 16: Flirtatious

It was now the following morning, the sun was high and shining bright on this wonderful day, not a cloud in sight. It brought a good mood to everyone; it gave them all a good sense that today was going to be a good day. However, Tarka and Peter were a little annoyed; they didn't know what they got themselves into before it was too late. There was no going back now, so Jackie couldn't stop Rickie either seeing as his fur was also in the potion. Peter was able to confirm his car wasn't going to be ready until tomorrow, so they weren't going to get anywhere with it any time soon. Rickie's teleportation concoction had enough fro two trips, so they could either go to Kalispell and then back here to wait for the car to be repaired, or, go straight to the next and last location before COWEL could catch up with them and figure out what to do from there. But to be honest, his potion still had one fault that he admitted.

The way to potion worked, was that each one of them will have to think of the place they wish to go. They all new the forest in which the Starnik lived was south of Kalispell, but it was hundreds and even thousands of square miles in size, how were they to find one den amongst all of that? Adding more, Myka cloaked the den to hide it, so how could they find that?! This was insane, it wasn't going to work. Still, Rickie insisted it was worth a try.

Before they left, they were all gathered outside. Rickie was saying goodbye to his family while Jonah did the same to his, and Aquila, Tarka and Peter stood to the side, waiting on them both. "You're gonna be back right?" Little Grace asked sweetly.

"Of course." He chuckled and bending down to her. "And when I do, we'll go swimming, we'll play hide and seek again, we'll have SO much fun." He smiled. "But while I'm gone, you need to be good for mom and dad and take care of Leon for me, think you two can do that?" He asked looking to her and his younger brother, Ted. Quickly, they both nodded, it made him grin all the more as he nuzzled all three of them.

Meanwhile, Jonah and Henry were having their own talk. Last night, this entire ordeal hit Jonah hard. He finally realized he was being sent on a mission to kill, it made him think if he could bring himself to do it. "I can't do this Henry." Jonah muttered. While deep in thought last night, he was nearly verging on tears. It was coming to that once again right now. "I don't want to kill anyone. Can't somebody else do it?"

"Only you are the one who can talk to the Starnik." Henry replied softly. "You must do this for our family and the rest of our species."

"I don't want to kill anyone though uncle." He sniffed. "Why does this have to be me, why not somebody else?"

"It had to be someone." He replied. "It's in your blood to have these powers. Your newest ones have just come in late, but in the perfect time for this to happen. Have you ever stopped and thought that maybe this was meant to happen to you?"

"I don't want it." He shook his head, his eyes also watering. "I can't touch anyone or they get hurt. Look what I did to Aquila, she couldn't even walk."

"You touched me." Henry responded. "Nothing happened then. Maybe you've learnt to control it now."

"I haven't done anything." Jonah said. "I want my life back; I want everything to be how it was."

"Then this is the only way." Henry replied caringly. "Just keep thinking about out family, do it for them." He pointed down to the young pups by Rickie and his parents. "We've lost one to the Ditori already; let's not make them suffer at Sam's hands again." Henry's words seemed to sink in, for soon Jonah was nodding.

"I don't want to kill." He continued. "But I'll do whatever it takes to keep them from getting hurt. For anyone." He then looked back to Aquila, Peter and Tarka who still waited. "She needs protecting because of us, we brought her into this. I can't let her get hurt more because of us."

"Keep that in your thoughts." Henry patted his shoulder. "Keep something strong in your mind to keep you going."

"Are you done yet Jonah?" Aquila then called out. "The day's not getting young."

"Go on, be safe son." Henry nuzzled his neck.

"You too, uncle. We'll be back soon." Jonah recomposed himself, wiped off his damp cheeks under his eyes and turned around. Rickie was right behind him and Henry rejoined Jackie and David with their children.

"Still got the potions Pete?" Rickie double checked.

"Right here." He replied and taking to two small vials the size of a finger out of his pocket. "Now how do they work?"

"We all need to think of the same thing, you smash the vial and it takes us there."

"So the Starnik den right?" Tarka questioned. They had to be thinking of the same thing; otherwise someone might end up on the other side of the world.

"Think nothing but that." Rickie made it simple and clear. "We'll use the other one after we decide what to do with it. Are we clear? Nothing but the Starnik den."

"Got it, nothing but." Aquila responded.

"Let's just get this over and done with." Tarka grumbled, clearly to everyone, he really didn't want to be doing this. He hated this wild goose chase they were on. If he had proof of what Jonah was seeing was indeed the truth, then maybe he'd be a little happier about doing this with them. But for now, he had no choice.

"Everyone ready?" Peter asked as he placed the first vial on the floor and readied to step on it.

"Remember, just the Starnik den." Rickie added one last time, there was no room for error here. Someone could end up on the top of Mount Everest! Everyone nodded and closed their eyes to remain focused on the single thought, nothing could put them off. And with that, Peter smashed his foot down hard. Instantly, a dark purple smoke seeped out from underneath his foot, a grey mist adding to it and blending in within it. Henry, Jackie and David pulled the pups away, not knowing if it was harmful to anyone else. The smoke acted as if it had a mind of its own. Within a mater of seconds, it crawled up and along their bodies, consuming them in less the five seconds until there was nothing left of them. Five pillars of smoke stood in their places, and after a while, it began to clear, revealing nothing left other then what was behind them and the smashed glass on the floor. Both adult males looked to Jackie, her face turning into shock.

"Well I'm not clearing that up!" She said clearly before turning around and walking towards the beach with the kids.

The smoke cleared around them, revealing an entirely new destination. It was strange; they didn't feel it or choke on the smoke. It was like it was never there, yet it was. Still standing in their line, they opened their eyes to be greeted by not only the new destination, but also the sounds of birds chirping up in the trees, the wind blowing a mild breeze around them, leaves flying passed them every now and then and silence everywhere else. It was…weird. They other then Tarka, they hadn't experienced a feeling like this in a long time. For the wolves anyway, a feeling of being in their natural home. Not only that, but near their ancestral home too. The forest they were in was thick and hilly, lots of mounds made the ground uneven and bumpy. Still, where they in the right place?

"Where the heck are we?" Rickie first spoke up as his eyes narrowed. To find out, and there was little chance of it working, Peter pulled out his phone.

"Are we in the right place?" Aquila then added.

"We were all thinking the right thing, right?" Jonah double checked and looking across to the all.

"I was thinking the Starnik den, just like we agreed." Tarka answered and nodding his head. So was everyone else, so they had to be in the right place.

"Clearwater National Forest, we're in the right place." Peter confirmed. "Damn, we're miles away from anywhere." He cursed after looking closer at his phone.

"Perfect, then that means we've got to be close." Jonah replied.

"Does anyone remember anything from the stories?" Aquila then asked as they began to split up and look around, just taking in their surroundings. "Anything to help find it?"

"Nope." Tarka chuckled.

"Me neither." Jonah added with his own amused laugh.

"Well, that just goes to show how much you know your family." Rickie laughed also.

"And you do?" Jonah asked back and facing him. He was half impressed by how he could know it when he didn't.

"There was a plain of grass near their den, if we can find that then we have a better chance at finding it."

Tarka looked up at the sun; it wasn't yet mid-day yet, so the sun was pointing more to the east.

"There's a valley to the…"

"East." Tarka interrupted Peter. "If we head east we'll walk right into the valley."

"How could you possibly know that?" Aquila wondered, she couldn't.

"There are a lot of things I can do." He smirked. "I'll show you some time." She growled playfully and winked again at him.

"You're such a flirt man." Rickie chuckled. "Come on, you can do that later on. Right now we've got other things to worry about."

"And you're not?" Tarka added as they began walking east. "We're related, isn't their supposed to be some similarity of some kind?"

"Distantly related." Jonah replied. "The only thing we have in common are the eyes. I hardly count the fact we are related."

"Well, now we have the chance to get better acquainted." Rickie smiled.

So that's what they did. They walked four a solid two hours in search of this Valley somewhere in the east. The sun was blaring down with heat, so it wasn't long until Peter had to remove his jacket and tie it around his waist. In that time, they spent to entire time talking about one another, better the chance to know one another and bring the family back together. Tarka once again set down his life before them. He was born with one sister and a brother, sadly, all stillborns. His parents began to travel a few months ago, last he heard from them they planned on having pups again soon, so he hoped she hadn't already conceived and given birth to them because he knew he wouldn't be prepared for it. It was some midlife crisis they were going through, despite being nearly ten years old already and had around eight more to live. He also reminded all but Rickie that he was a antique retailer. He sold on pieces he came across for their genuine price and bough the pieces he wanted to keep for himself.

Rickie then went on about his life, growing up with Blake, loving the pranks they'd play on people due to being identical in every way. They'd even fool around with their parents doing it. He said that Blake came into his powers when they was around a year old, maybe a little older perhaps. It happened when they were reciting random poetry, at the time; it was the old nursery rhyme "ring-o-ring of roses". And for those that don't know it. "Ring-o-ring of roses, a pocket full of poses. Atchoo, atchoo, we all fall down!" In the end, both he and Rickie were passed on the floor with lavender sprinkling down over them from the den ceiling, Jackie and David witnessed everything. It was a strange spell, but it worked. It seems he didn't need much of a rhyme like their ancestor, Myka, did. The pups came along as a surprise also, nobody new it until Jackie realised she hadn't come into heat when she was supposed to.

By the time it came to Jonah, that had already walked an hour. He told them his story everything and even including the day he first met Aquila. "She did what?" Rickie gritted his teeth to stop from laughing.

"She was always the bouncy type; she was on vacation in San Francisco with her parents when her met." Jonah chuckled and Aquila blushed. "It was just after my mom passed away and I was always on my own at the time. She fell out of the tree I was sitting under sprained her paw."

"I was chasing a squirrel." She insisted.

"So you say." He laughed again. "Anyway, I ran back home, got my uncle to come help and it wasn't soon after her parents came to find her. She joined the circus a year later and she comes to see us each time she came to town."

"And in all that time, you never thought to date her?" Tarka wondered.

"Me and him?" She scoffed. "Please, I love Jonah as a friend; I've talked to him about things I've never spoken to my parents about."

"Even more of a reason." Peter added.

"I don't feel that way towards her and never will. She's more like a sister to me to be honest. We've always thought of her as family."

"As have I."

"So as of now, you're not dating anyone?" Tarka asked.

"Nope, why got something you wanna say?" Aquila grinned teasingly.

"Maybe later." He winked back.

"Oh cut it out, both of you." Jonah groaned. "How much further Pete?"

"I'm not sure." He replied as he looked down to his phone. "I've lost service, it was a miracle I had it before."

"Then maybe we should climb a tree." Rickie suggested as they came to a stop. "That way we can get the lay of the land and see how much further it is." Looking around, all the trees were the same. There weren't any branches in the first two meters of the tree, so that was out of the question.

"I can't reach." Peter replied.

"Why don't you throw one of us up?" Tarka suggested. "We can climb."

"I'll do it." Aquila volunteered.

"After what I just heard about you and trees?" Rickie joked.

"She'd have more of a chance." Jonah agreed with Aquila. "I've seen her paw-stand on top of a human pyramid, so if anyone can do it, it's her."

"Come on then." Peter leaned back against the tree, bent his legs and held out his hands. Aquila stepped towards him and the boys all stepped back. Climbing up Peter, Aquila positioned herself and looked up with her bank paw in Peter's hands.

"On three." She made sure her tied around her abnormally long mane was tight and the feathers in her ear were secure. "One, two…three!"

As instructed, on three Peter groaned as he pushed and threw Aquila up into the air. She soared and extended her paws and claws, wrapping them around the nearest branch. Peter quickly stepped out the way to avoid the twigs falling onto him and to catch her should she fall. She grunted as she swung back and forth a few times before swinging her body underneath and over the stick, now standing on it and keeping her balance. "I'm ok!" She shouted, even though they were right there underneath her,

"Great, now get climbing." Jonah shouted, so she did. She jumped up onto the next branch, then balancing on her hind legs and placing her forepaws into the tree truck to figure out her next move. But she took a chance and looked down, finding all four of them looking up at her.

"Look away boys, I know what you're really looking at." She giggled and she then continued going up.

Below her, three of the four boys had averted their eyes, the three boys being the wolves. Rickie and Jonah looked away, but soon after looked to Tarka who still had his eyes firmly locked on her as she climbed.

"Tarka…" Jonah grumbled.

"Just give me a sec." He insisted.

"She older then you, you know that right?"

"How much?" He asked and still not taking his eyes off her.

"She's five."

"I just turned four, it's no biggie." Jonah just rolled his eyes and walked away, using his time wisely by investigating the area.

So she climbed the wild, naturally made skyscraper, going higher and higher until even Tarka couldn't see her after she disappeared behind the leaves. She grunted, groaned each time she dug her claws into the bark after the branches became too thin and weak, she had a tougher job now. But she was strong, she was athletic even, she could do it. There came a point where she struggled and slipped, but the words the Callen brothers told her back when she was being taught her acrobatics echoed throughout her mind each time she wanted to give in. _"How do you ever hope on improving if you don't strain yourself."_ That Russian accent, it made her grin and laugh even now. It was a motto she now lived by, she lived everyday pushing herself to the limit of her abilities, whether that be her powers or her body. So with a grin on her face and fatigue building in her forepaws, she pulled herself up and into the canopy of the trees.

Back down below her, Jonah surveyed to area around them. Tarka still had his eyes up on the tree tops, despite the fact he could no longer see Aquila, and Peter and Rickie were talking while they waited for her to come down. He was simply taking in the sights, before he suddenly had a gut instinct flow through him, a feeling he was being watched. His ears naturally perked up as the feeling grew stronger, his eyes narrowed to focus more on the slightest movement they came across. "What is it?" Rickie asked after he finished his conversation with Peter and came to his side.

"Shush." Jonah snapped quickly. It was right after that a branch on the forest floor snapped loudly, but clearly not loud enough for Peter or the preoccupied Tarka to notice. But they did. "There's someone out there."

"We're being watched." Rickie agreed as his body began to feel the same as Jonah's.

Aquila pushed a final branch out the way. She was officially as high as she could go, her head poked out the top of the tree and an incredible sight stretched out before her. The land was nothing but green, green from the leaves of trees. Then the sky met it as far as she could see. It was nothing but green and blue hills. It made her gasp at the beauty of the land before her. The extended forest went on for what looked like forever, she wanted to build a home here and stay just so she could see this everyday.

She began to laugh a little as she looked around, suddenly, finding the land changing very much. It quickly went down hill and turned into a great plain of nothing but grass. She could see wild caribou herds grazing in the grass down there. There it was the Valley. It had to only be a mile away!

Meanwhile, both Jonah and Rickie continued to try and spot the source of the noise, every now and then hearing another crack of something breaking. By this time, Tarka and Peter had been alerted and were looking out as well, each time moving to a different place to where they thought the noise came from. They dared not approach it thought, it could be dangerous. For the seventh time now, they heard it again and this time Jonah was sure he knew where it came from. He used his sense to locate the person, why didn't he think of it before? He searched, he looked, he moved around as if he was flying a helicopter around the area. He saw himself glowing green, he saw Tarka and Rickie also glowing the same colour due to the Starnik blood running through their veins. He reached back out to the location of the sound, suddenly picking up on a energy left behind like a scent. He snapped back into reality, taking a sudden deep breath and blinking rapidly. "It's a supernatural!" He called out to the others.

"Keep searching, find them." Peter replied. So he did again, looking forwards again and reaching out his sense back to where he found the energy not forty feet away. So like a bloodhound he followed it with his sense.

"It's human." He said as he began to pick up information the more he locked in on the person. "A woman." Suddenly, he saw her and his eyes widened. "She's behind us!" His widened and he ducked just in time to avoid a projectile of some kind narrowly miss his head. All four of them then looked around the tree Aquila was still up to spot a woman running away. Looking back at the object, Jonah flattened his ears as an arrow stuck out the tree just above his head. Even if he didn't move, she would have only just missed. "She nearly shot me." He gasped. The arrow was hand made, the shaft made out of an ordinary stick and carved at. The fletchings were tattered and dirty feathers of some bird, still, even with a bad arrow, she was a good shot.

Back at the tree, Aquila had herself balanced on the last branch and somersaulted backwards off, spinning around twice before landing on her feet. "Ok, did any of you see that dismount because I will not be doing that again." She giggled.

**Sorry guys, i was going to update yesterday but forgot, so here it is anyway. Many of you have guessed who this Lightening Girl is and i can confirm one of you is right. But who? Also, i just wanted to share with you an example of how crazy my partner, Bastard from North, really is. Here is a piece of a conversation we had after I left on of these chapters on a cliffhanger. and this was his reaction.**

**BFN: FALCON! DON'T YOU DARE RUN YOU DAMN CLIFFHANGER HOLIC! COME BACK HERE! *Run's after Falcon with an axe with crazed look***

**Me: Whoops. Gotta run!**

**BFN: NO! Come here! I have a small gift to you... *Hide's the axe behind his back***

**Me: *peeks around corner* What?**

**BFN: *Sudden rapid axe swinging***

**Me: *legs it into woods***

**BFN: You can hide but you can run!**

**Me: *hides up a tree***

**BFN: WAIT! No you can't run! **

**Me: Ahh wait! Damn it, you've got an axe!**

**BFN: *****Starts chopping the tree* ****Stay there...**

**Me: *starts throwing sticks and pine cones down at him***

**BFN: Stop that! I am not hurting you either! yet... *Wears a helmet***

**Me: *whistles for a horse, horse comes along and Falcon jumps onto it and rides away!"**

**And that'll do for now. That's just an example of the conversations we have. Are all Finnish people like that? HAHAHA, Until next time guys! :D**

**The FalconWolf**


	17. Chapter 17 The Last

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 17: The Last

"Horse tracks?" Tarka questioned upon seeing them. They were shot at, somebody was trying to kill them, they wanted to know who. With a bow and arrow of all weapons, nobody these days used a bow and arrow to shoot wild animals. By the looks of the arrow in Peter's hand, it was a had crafted one, but still very good none the less. What they knew was that this person was a woman, a supernatural one at that as Jonah sensed. What he couldn't get a read on in time was what her gift was. Surely not sure accuracy, otherwise he'd be dead. Aquila missed everything, and she was a little heart broken that they missed her impressive dismount out of the tree. So when she doesn't want their attention, Tarka can't keep his eyes off her, yet when she does, they're looking elsewhere. How does that work?

Still, this woman, what was she doing out here on her own and armed with this stupid weapon? They needed to find out, better yet, she ran in the direction of the Valley as Aquila said. But what after a few minutes of running did they lose her tracks and find horse one instead? What was she, an Indian? Who these days goes riding around on horse back shooting people with a bow and arrow?! "Which way did she go?" Peter asked. After living in the wilderness all his life, Tarka knew how to track and he knew what species left what mark. Only this time, he couldn't do anything.

"I…I don't know." He answered, his face expressing into bewilderment just as much as everyone else's.

"What do you mean?" Rickie asked again.

"I mean I don't know. They've just gone!" He pointed around; there were no other tracks to find. "It's like she just vanished and took the horse with her."

"Jonah?" Aquila questioned. He was too busy staring off into space, trying to find her with his supernatural sense. Her energy was all over the place here, and he found where she went. "She's still going east." He pointed in the direction. "She's heading straight to the valley."

"Then let's kill two birds with one stone." Peter growled. He wanted to know why she shot at them. "Let's find her and then the den."

So they did. They set down a brick paced walk, still continuing east. It was silent a lot of the way, other then the thoughts in their heads that is. Who was this woman, why did she shoot at them, why was she still using medieval weapons, why was she out here on a freaking horse?! They followed Jonah who followed his instinctual pull in the direction he felt the energy go. Wherever the energy went, so did the woman. He began to feel a little stupid; he was like a supernatural bloodhound tracking his prey with his owners behind him. Still, they were getting close and in the right direction, they knew this after they all stopped at the sound of a horse neighing. They looked to one another before proceeding, a mound coming into sight. They peeked around that mound after hearing a second neigh of the same horse, and lone behold there it was. A grey stallion stood tied to a tree, a saddle on it's back and reins around its face. It was her, because a quiver full of handcrafted arrows were strapped to the side of the saddle, but no bow. She could still be around here somewhere.

"Now where did she go?" Aquila wondered as they remained cautious. The floor around here was stone that spread across in front of the mound and right up to what looked like a sudden drop. On the other side of the mound it turned into a steady hill, but as they walked passed the horse and to the drop, through the trees they could see the wide valley with a stream running across the length of it. They found the valley, they found the horse, but where was the girl?"

"So the den is around here someplace?" Tarka asked.

"That girl's energy is all over the place, she spends a lot of time here." He looked back, the energy leading all around them in twists and turns. But his eyes focused on something far more important. The mound, it was a den of some sorts. A deep den that was not what you'd have thought. It was full of human items. "Guys, check it out." Everyone spun around.

"What?" Peter asked. "What are we looking at?"

"Holy cow…" Tarka muttered as his eyes laid upon the den.

"Is that it?" Rickie added.

"Is what it?" Aquila then asked.

"Are you kidding, its right there!" Jonah exclaimed and pointed directly at the den.

"All I can see is a stone wall." Peter couldn't understand, neither could Aquila. What were they seeing that they couldn't?

"It's gotta be the Starnik blood." Rickie said after a moment. "Myka placed a spell over their den so only the family could find it. We're family after all."

"Seriously, a den we can't see but you can." Aquila said. "It looks just like a stone wall to me."

"Believe us, it's there." Tarka grinned. "This has got to be it." They began walking towards it. Jonah, Rickie and Tarka were in disbelief, they had found their ancestral home, the place where it all began. The very den where Rosie Starnik was born and she and Scott Starnik lived. It was like the stories said, the animal skin carpets, the bed in the back, everything was how they remember the stories saying. Only one thing wasn't like the stories say, the sudden voices. Suddenly, they all clasped their heads as whispers and echoes of a voice rung with their minds. It hurt, it terrified them, it was some psychic attack. By who.

"Get out of my home!" He shouted. It was a woman's voice. There were screeching sounds, there were warps and fizzes, but that voice was the worst.

"It's her!" Jonah shouted, feeling the need to when really this was all in their heads. "She's telepathic!"

"Please, we just want to talk!" Aquila begged. She and Rickie fell to the floor, the screeching hurting their far more sensitive ears the Peter's human ones who experienced it mildly. But then as quickly as it started, it vanished, everything stopped, the voice, the whispers, the screeching and the pain. They breathed hard and fast as their bodies began to settle, but then they heard footsteps. They looked up and stepping out of the den came the same woman they saw running away. Although she had her face covered by a scarf, it was blatantly obvious it was a woman after everything they went through with her. But not only was it just her, but her armed with a strung bow and arrow bearing down at them. Exactly as they predicted, she bow seemed hand made, but it was an impressive one none the less.

"Start talking." She demanded. Aquila and Peter could believe what they just saw. As far as they were aware, they just watched this person walk through a stone wall. This wasn't going to be easy; this person now lives in the place that was once their ancestor's, so how do they go about this. Nobody knew what to say, they didn't expect this so they didn't plan on having to say anything. "Who are you?" She demanded again. Her voice was British, very well spoken, yet a small hint of an American accent lay in her vocal cords.

"We came to return this." Peter held up the arrow. Quickly, she pointed the bow at him. "And ask why you tried to shoot us." She gently put the string back in its original place and walked towards in and pretty just snatched it out of his hand.

"You got in my way." She yanked off her away her scarf, revealing her rather pale face and long brown hair tied back in a pony tail. She then turned her back on them and walked back into the den, or straight through the stone in Peter and Aquila's case.

"We got in your way?" Jonah questioned. "You nearly shot me in the head!" He exclaimed.

"I was stalking a deer, you happened to be in-between me and it." She replied as she hung her bow on a peg in the side of the den wall. "Now let me ask you." She added upon walking back out casually with her hands in her pockets. "How can you see my home when nobody should?"

"How come you can find it when nobody else should?" Jonah flipped the question back to her.

"Because I've lived here nearly all my life." She replied. Just by looking at her, this woman couldn't be older then twenty five. But they could be wrong. "My parents gave it to me when they passed."

"Do you even realise where you're standing?" Tarka asked more hostile. "You're standing in the…"

"The den of Scott and Rosie Starnik." She intervened him and nodding. She looked each of them in the eye, not saying another word after that. Jonah had his focus locked onto her, but only so he could figure her out. His sense picked up on more then one power within her.

"What are you?" He couldn't help but ask as he narrowed his eyes. Everyone looked to him, his friends out of shock he'd ask something like that and the woman out of curiosity.

"Excuse me?" She asked, slightly humoured.

"You're telepathic, that much I can tell." His eyes narrowed further until they were nearly shut, he concentrated as hard as he could. "But there's something else, something I've never sensed before."

"So you're one too huh?" She giggled lightly and leaning back onto the side of the den. "What else can you tell about me?"

"Telekinetic!" He suddenly exclaimed. "Pyrokinetic." His eyes began to open again to the realisation of something that came to mind. "Holy…shit." He muttered as he went wide eyed now at her. "I know who you are."

"Then do share." She smiled.

"But you can't be, you're a myth!" He retaliated. He couldn't' believe it, there was no proof other then small stories around it.

"What, Jonah, what is it?"

"She's a Starnik." He was in shock, and now so were the others. Everyone now looked at her, her face now falling from the happiness and turning neutral.

"The Starnik were wolves." Tarka shook his head, eh didn't believe it.

"Aria wasn't." Rickie then added. "Scott's human daughter."

"You're Aria's descendant, aren't you?" Jonah knew it, he just knew it. She shook her head.

"Aria never had any children." She replied. "She never got married and she never had her own kids."

"Wait, how old are you?" Peter wondered.

"One hundred and fifty seven years old." She replied with the feeblest of smiles. "I'm not a descendent of Aria, I AM Aria."

It was true, she was. Aria, the Human daughter of the Starnik stood before them now. Jonah knew it, the telepathy, the telekinesis, pyrokinesis; they were all her powers amongst other things. Jonah could sense it all now. She was a Phoenix, an incredibly rare gift to behold that came around roughly once every seven hundred years. He knew this by what his senses told him, he just somehow knew this. A live Starnik here today. But why was she here? It was said, if it was even true she existed, she lived in England. If so, why was she here? Why wasn't she in her home country? Why live here as an illegal immigrant when she could be free in the UK?

"No, this cant be real." Peter refused to believe it. "All the Starnik are gone, there was never a human…" He couldn't speak any longer after they all witnessed her eyes swirling and pulsating a Starnik green.

"And I don't believe I'm the only one." She said and looking to Jonah, Rickie and Tarka. "It's good to see the children of my siblings. And all together." She sounded surprised.

"It was a coincidence we met." Rickie chuckled.

"I'm sorry, but there's something I don't get." Aquila was confused, she most out of everyone. Aria's eyes settled back to their original brown. "If you're still here, does that mean the others are as well?" Her face then turned around once again to depression it seemed.

"They're all gone." She replied while standing back up and walking around them to the horse. "It's just me."

"Then how are you still here?" Aquila then asked. Aria began to buckle the saddle from the horse.

"I live shorter lives then most people. I live for around seventy years at best before I die and start all over again as a fourteen year old girl."

"How many lives has it been now?" Jonah wondered. This was growing to be sad; everyone could feel it in the air.

"I died of old age in two, then murdered in another. I even committed suicide in my fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh life all in one day. So this is my ninth" She groaned a little as she lifted the saddle off the horse and began to carry it back to the den. "I'm the last Starnik on earth, the rest of my family are dead and I can never see them again." She placed it on a wooden railing just to the side of the den and began to brush off the hair and dirt from it. "I'm forced to live over and over again, never dying and always turning back into a little girl."

"It sounds awful." Aquila replied softly. "I know how you feel though, having to go through something that you never want…"

"You know nothing!" Aria suddenly screamed and spinning around to meet them.

"I've spent the last one hundred since my family all died living over and over again. I watched as my family died around as well as my friends and there was nothing I could do about it. Are you forced to walk the earth for eternity and watch as all your friends die around you while you stay young and live another time? No! When you die you can go see you family and friends while I have to stay here and live over and over again!" She was furious; they didn't understand anything she had been through. "I don't care who any you are, I don't care if we're in the same family and why you're here. Just leave me alone!"

The horse began to get skittish, as if something was scaring it. Aria seemed to know and walked back up towards it, pressed her forehead and it's and began to whisper words of comfort to it. "I've lived out here since my father and his wife were getting sick, and when they died on the same night I began living out here after they wanted me to look after all their stuff. After Myka and Dakota died and Lupa went with them, I was left alone down here. Lupa promised me she'd come see me, she had the power to come back and forth, but she never did." Aquila was ready to cry, this wasn't being directed at her anymore, but this was heart breaking to hear. She really hadn't been through what Aria had. "Rosie thought of me like her own daughter." She sniffed, holding back the tears were now pointless to hold at the rate they were coming. With her head still against the horses, she continued. "Myka told me there was nothing that could separate us, not even the fact we were different species. I've lived on empty promises for over one hundred years since they died, yet every time I've wanted a life to end I couldn't go through with it. I always had a flame around me each time to bring me back. I could never go through with not having one there."

"As much as I love it out here, I just sometimes wish I could die and see them." Suddenly, her mind went back to the original topic. She looked back at them. "Why are you even here?"

"We're looking for something." Jonah answered. "We're looking for artefacts of our family."

"Artefacts? You mean objects?"

"Yeah, we've been…" Jonah never finished until he suddenly his head become…well, hit by something. He took but a few steps towards her when he was stopped by both an invisible wall and hit to the head as Aria began to rummage through his mind. She had an inkling, she needed to know. It didn't hurt, not a lot anyway. The little pain was from her prodding his mental barriers which she smashed through. She broke out into her powers long before they were born. She's had over one hundred years to perfect, master and strain them to perform better. She tore through his barriers with ease and began prodding into his memories. She couldn't believe what he had seen. If anything, Jonah felt his head become heavy and his body wobbly. He tried throwing her out, it didn't work.

"You've seen my father." She muttered, bringing her hands away from the horse and taking steps towards him. "You've seen my family."

"Stop it!" Aquila screamed and running to his side. "He's your family, if you're a Starnik like you say then you'll stop it!" She saw by this point all she wanted to see and released him. He gasped as the sudden sensation of her leaving his mind, it was a relief. She walked around them and back towards the den again. "Are you ok?" Aquila whispered caringly.

"I'm fine." He nodded before looking back to her. That was strange, never had he felt something like that before. "What was that?" He demanded of her. She was back in the den, so Peter and Aquila couldn't see a thing, just a stone wall.

"If you didn't fight it, you'd have hardly felt a thing." She replied before with a flick of her wrist, a truck's lid in the side of the den flipped open and she began rummaging inside it. "You know, I'm jealous of you." She said as she buried her hands into it the things inside. What was she looking for? "I'd do anything to see my family again, yet here you are, a guy who didn't even know them and sees them even if he doesn't want to." After a moment longer, she pulled out a square box the size of a human hand, and smiled triumphantly. "So do me a favour." She continued while she walked towards them and opened the lid before presenting it to Jonah. "When you see them, tell them I said "Hi"." Inside the box, a small silver bracelet lay in soft nylon to keep protected from scratches and dents. But coiled around the metal was a wonderful emerald filling, unscratched and glistening in the sunlight. In the spaces it made in the silver parts, it said _"Forever yours."_. But what was this? It looked be some expensive wedding band. So Rickie asked that very question which she proudly answered.

"Rosie never liked to brag about how she wore human jewellery." She smiled. "My father gave her this the night they were married, a wedding band. She hardly wore it however; she didn't want it getting damaged. So she gave it to me. I just can't wear it."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking cuz?" Tarka muttered through the side of his mouth to Jonah.

"Stand back." Jonah replied. Aria took it out and held the metal out for him while the others all took a step back. He steadily brought his paw closer, the two seconds he experiences before time stops here horrid. Not because it hurt, because it didn't, but because his heart just natural felt like it was having an attack. That or somebody just grabbed it and stopped it. He was reluctant each time to do it, he hated those first few seconds. But it was necessary to see what he needed to see. And right now, that was Rosie Starnik. So which his mind set firmly on his only goal, to speak to her, he lunged his paw forward and clasped it tightly. Instantly, his heart stopped as the white light over took him.

**Originally, I was only making Secret of the Starnik as a "what if" story, but now I think it's turned into a real part of the series now. So Aria has come out of her shell since the last time we saw her, going from the little, clumsy girl, to the 157 year old human Starnik badass! Man, she sounds my kind of girl. I love my own fictions sometimes. ;) Anyway, so the object I said you'd never guess was Rosie's wedding band. I never mentioned it before in the story, but that's also because she never did either. If she asked me to mention it then i would've. haha. So what will she have to say to Jonah? Also, what could the last artefact be? Something to do with Lupa, can anyone guess? Until next time! :)**

**The FalconWolf**


	18. Chapter 18 Risk's Worth Taking

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 18: Risk's Worth Taking

Snapping his eyes open, Jonah was greeted by near darkness of the strange, wolf/human den. He was honoured by what he had just met. Rosie, Starnik, the mother that started it all. She was the one who gave birth to Dakota, Lupa and Myka Starnik and therefore himself, Tarka, Rickie, Henry, Jackie, everyone! She was an incredible she-wolf, far more then he first thought. Truly inspiring, so motherly. He was a little saddened to have left; he wanted to stay a little longer. But he got a little more information from her now, but like the rest, he was still confused and if anything, he now had more unsolved questions. "It's night already?" He groaned.

"Shush!" Peter suddenly seethed and covering Jonah mouth. "Stay quiet." He then whispered. Jonah pushed his hand away, glaring up at him for a moment.

"Why, what's going on?"

"COWEL found us." Aquila whispered. Looking around, they were all here, Aria right by the den entrance with her bow and arrow ready. She looked out but remained careful not to actually step out and show their location. The den was tense, everyone was scared.

"What? How?" He asked and jumping to his paws.

"That woman, Aquila's bestie, she's a supernatural. She's like you; she can track as long as she has a personal object of the person." Peter replied. Quickly, confused and puzzled stares looked back at him. How would he know a thing like that? "I heard them say it earlier." He then added. Liar!

"This is stupid!" A man's voice suddenly exclaimed. Aria ducked and aimed, but it was pointless, the voice was above them. They could hear footsteps, more then just one set. "You should still be in the hospital Evelyn."

"I'm fine." She insisted. "This is more important, we need to find them." They were right on top of them. This was bad, very bad. Sam had Starnik blood in his veins, so he would be able to find them if they weren't careful. Speak of the devil…

"So you're sure they're around here somewhere?" He asked.

"This is where their signal was the strongest." She replied. "They've got to be in a den somewhere."

"Perfect." Sam snickered. "I'll round everyone up; we'll concentrate out efforts here in this area." And with that they heard him begin to walk away. But they all knew it wouldn't be long until he came back with reinforcements. There was silence around, maybe the other two left as well? Apparently not…

"So if they are here, does that mean he is too?" They heard the man's voice ask again, this time a little quieter.

"He's been with them for days now, so most likely." What were they talking about?

"I wonder if they know." Nathan chuckled. "Their reaction to a former COWEL member in their group would be priceless."

All of their eyes widened and instantly they all began looking around at one another. Someone here was a traitor; someone here has worked with COWEL and could be the one that led them here, to the funeral, following them in general! Peter, it had to be him! But both COWEL and the Ditori have both used wolves in the past, so it could be any one of them. Certainly not Aquila, for they said "he", they all stepped back away from one another, shooting glares at each other as they walked into the four corners of the den. They all had their reasons. "Jonah, he's been leading them on this wild goose chase. It could have just been an act to let COWEL find them. Rickie, he's been very quiet for the short time he's been with them. Maybe he's just trying not to show any lies? Tarka, he's being confident, too confident. He wanted them to stay put and stop this, to let COWEL catch up perhaps? Peter, now he was human, so he was more of a target to them all. Each time COWEL hired a wolf to do some of their work; they'd have them put down eventually. But Peter was human, so they wouldn't to him.

The fear was starting to build up. There was a traitor among them, but who?

"Let's join the others." They suddenly heard Nathan above them say. "We can help with the search." Then they all walked away. Even after they had gone, there was still silence around them as they continued to glare and stare at one another. Aria took a step out, one at a time, checking if it was clear before they began to make a move.

"Who is it?" Jonah demanded quietly. "Who's been leading them here?"

"How do we know it's not you?" Tarka growled.

"Guy's we are NOT doing this now!" Aquila snapped and coming into the middle of all of them. She stood with authority, as did her own stare. "We're going to get out of here and then we're going to stick together. Then, and only then…will we figure this out. This it not the time to fight!" She may have had a point, but they continued to do it. Aria came walking back.

"It's safe." She whispered. "But you need to…" Suddenly, she was grabbed around her side and thrown with massive strength back and way from the den. Everyone back inside the den gasped and shuffled away form the mouth of it, the thought of the traitor now absent form their minds. A man walked towards Aria while she began to pick herself up, her bow far to her left and out of reach. Still, she didn't need it. She groaned and lifted up her front half, meeting the gaze of the man wielding a bat of some kind and twirled it menacingly beside him.

"Where are the wolves little girl?" He croaked in the deepest voice she had every heard before. She didn't answer; she channelled all her fury and threw her hand out towards him. As a result, he was swept off his feet and thrown back far and into the den roof. There, he whacked his head against the stone surface, and upon hitting the ground again, he lay unconscious. She dropped her head and tried to regain her breath for a moment.

Everyone else marvelled at the sight, a true telekinetic. Aquila was a little jealous of her, all she could do was fire blasts of the energy, Aria here could do whatever she wished. Pick things up, pull and push objects, manipulate elements! After a moment, she regained her breath and control over her eyes, so she pushed herself up. Big mistake. "ARIA, LOOK OUT!" Aquila screamed. Too late. She suddenly had an arm come flying around and into her throat. She was catapulted back and to the floor and began choking and hacking violently. This second man snuck up on her, the other even unaware of both him and the second woman that came from the same direction. She writhed on the floor, holding her throat as the two stood over her. She may have had powers, but she was no fighter like her family.

"Did you hear that?" The woman asked.

"Check on Todd." The man replied and pointing to the one lying on the floor before them. "I'll deal with this one." He smirked and grabbing Aria's arms and dragging her towards the drop.

"What do we do?" Rickie asked, desperation setting in to all of them. They had to get out of here; this place was crawling with COWEL members.

"Aquila, give me your paw." Jonah didn't look at her; he kept his eyes on the woman approaching them but was still unaware of them being here. She took hold of it, quickly the now minor lose of strength and pins and needles flooded her as Jonah's body had the opposite effect. The woman knelt down beside the man's head and began shaking him while calling his name, but it was at this moment that the second man had already had Aria by the cliff edge. He held her by her throat and made her lean back over the edge, choking her all the more.

"No I'll give you one last chance." He seethed. "Where are the wolves?" She just tried her hardest to laugh while she choked. He grew fed up of her in that instant, and let her go. She slipped her his grasp and fell backwards. Jonah wanted to shout her name as he watched her go over the edge. Sure, it wasn't particularly high drop, but it would still be enough to kill her. She fell, Aria was gone. The man turned around, proud of what he just did. All the wolves and Peter could do was remain silent, looking to the edge in disbelief that they just watched her go over. But then it wasn't the disbelief of that fact she went over they were feeling, it was what happened next. Suddenly, there was she, rising from the rise slowly, her arms a little to the sides and her legs dangling beneath her. Yet she kept going, up and up until they could see she was…flying? They couldn't believe it!

She whistled loudly, quickly, the man and woman were gob smacked at what they were witnessing. "You dropped the wrong girl." She said with her eyes pulsating brightly. Adding more surprises to her, she reached her hands out to them quickly and closed them together. It was like the two humans were under her control, for they both slammed into one another and lay over the first body in the same unconscious state. Aria then fell to the ground, landing with a thud despite only being a few feet in the air. But there was no time to hang around or explain. It wasn't her power, so how did she do it? That's what Tarka asked anyway as she approached them.

"One hundred and fifty years worth of experience." She replied as she walked to the side of the den and took her bow off the wall. She was serious; she didn't ask them anything or even look at them. "You guys need to go; I can sense nearly twenty minds out here."

"Where to?" Aquila asked, nobody leaving the den yet for the fear they'd be ambushed. Other then Aria, who stormed right back out and towards her horse with its saddle in her hands. She quickly began to strap it back on.

"There's a large town three miles east of here. If you can get to there without getting caught then you stand a chance." She was done in no time, and after throwing the reins over the horses head, she mounted it and turned it around. "You've given me a little more hope, and now this is me repaying you." She smiled. "You're the first of my family I've seen since Myka, so go, make our family proud. Show these people the true power of the Starnik." Nobody smiled back or said anything in return. It was then they heard more shouts. Aria looked behind her, coming up the slope three men can charging towards her wielding bats and guns. "GO!" She screamed before digging her heels sharply into the horse's sides and spurring it on. It reared and then sped off to the left of them, a few seconds later, the three men right behind her and darting off in the same direction.

Jonah and Aquila still had held of each other's paw, waiting to act if need be. But now they didn't, so they let one another go. Rickie then quickly barged passed them and out into the open, eager to get away as in instantly turned left. "Where are you going?" Jonah asked. "She said east which is that way." He pointed in the opposite direction.

"I'm going to die if I hang around with you guys." He snapped. "One of you is the traitor that's been leading them wherever you go. Wherever you go, they're not far behind."

"Hang on, how do we know you're not going to them now and to tell them where we are?" Tarka retaliated aggressively.

"Guys, stop this!" Peter ordered. "If we stay together, then we keep an eye on one another."

"Hang on human, how come you knew that woman was a supernatural that could find us?" Tarka then snapped at him. Once again, everyone found themselves standing in the same tense circle that they were in earlier. Somebody was lying; somebody here was working with COWEL. The longer they stood staring at one another, the more their heart sped up, but also, the more voices they began to hear approaching them in the distance. Fear was building and so was the eagerness to run. It felt like hours they were just standing around, glaring and trying to spot a lie in each of them. It was only a few moments after the last words were spoken that the shouts of COWEL grew so close they sounded to just be less then fifty metres away. This would be another moment for growing tense music. Something had to give at some point, and it was Rickie who did first. Suddenly, he bolted to the left of the den, his paws scratching the stone for grip before he sprinted away. Peter went the same way, but soon darted left again and behind the den while Tarka went right and then down the hill towards the valley. Jonah grabbed Aquila and went right also, disappearing behind the den as well and heading east. There were now allies now; it was every man and wolf of himself. The only person Jonah and Aquila could trust was each other, foe they had been together long enough to know it wasn't them.

They started to hear more shouts more or less straight away, indicating the others had been seen and were now running for their lives. Or was it them? Running together, they'd look around them every now and then to see someone running around. They were being hunted! What made things feel a little worse, was when they slid to a stop after seeing Rickie in the distance ahead of them running up a hill with five humans right behind him. An act? They shook it off and darted left, they would have to find another way around. It wasn't long until they even started to hear to occasional gunfire, and a voice that, for some reason, sent outrageous chills down their spine. "I've got one!" A distant voice shouted. It turned Jonah's attention to his right again, who had been caught?

It was then he crashed into something, something that he rolled with a little while before standing over it. He locked gazed with Tarka, both out of fear and anger, but mostly fear. This placed was riddled with COWEL, this was hell! "Are you the traitor?!" Jonah demanded of him, his teeth flashing before him and his eyes turning to add more to the authority. He could match though.

"Are you?" He snarled as his own changed.

"Damn it you tell me right now or I'll blow your head off right here!" He bellowed and lifting his paw to strike and shoot.

"I wouldn't betray my family!" Tarka shouted back. "We help our family, remember?! Now I don't know about you, but I intend to carry on with that tradition! Otherwise I wouldn't be running!"

"Jonah, we can't stay here." Aquila said, the voices of the humans around them nearing, clearing hearing their outburst.

"Choose cousin." Tarka then added. "Kill me or let me up!"

He couldn't, family or not, he couldn't kill. He wanted to save that moment for Sam because he knew it would take all of his courage to do it. Besides, if Tarka was a true Starnik descendant then he would never turn in his own family. But that didn't stop Jonah from be weary of him as he stepped off him. "Guys, come on, it's this way." Aquila wanted to just keep moving, she wanted to get out of these trees before it became too dark.

"What did Rosie say?" Tarka said just before they moved on. Jonah gave him a quizzing look. "I might not believe you, but I'm still with you." He smiled. "We're family, no matter how distant."

_So time froze, and after he opened his eyes and took a brief look around, Jonah once again found himself stuck in this space of time. Now used to it, he had one thing on his mind, Rosie Starnik, the mother Starnik as it were. But she wasn't here, nobody other then his friends and family were here. "Hello!" He called out loudly. "Is anyone here?" Dared he say it? He wanted to, it may get her attention. But it was awkward. "Grandma Rosie?"_

"_I love hearing that." Somebody suddenly said. He jumped out of his skin and did a near whole turn in mid air to look behind him as Rosie sat looking over Aquila. "It's been so long since somebody called me that." She was smiling, she was so happy._

"_Don't you have the rest of your family to do it up there?" He asked._

"_I do, but it's a different feeling when it comes from someone still down here." She hadn't looked at him yet, she was still looking over Aquila. "Bless her heart, she's so confused."_

"_Aquila? What's wrong with her?" He asked as he walked towards them both._

"_I think she has feelings for your cousin, Tarka. To be quite honest they're a match made in heaven. They have so much in common personality wise."_

"_Well…good for her." He replied and standing on the other side of his friend. "He'd better look after her."_

"_If only things would play out that way though." She sighed. She then looked up to him, that massive smiley grin attached to her face. "Oh and look at you, so much like my Dakota."_

"_Really? Last I saw of him he wasn't brown too." He chuckled as he looked over his body._

"_Black suits you, very attractive. I quality Shadow had a good gene of apparently." She giggled. "Also his personality. We all think that." He liked listening to her; it was like he was having a conversation with his own mother. Man…it was like talking to his own mother. His head began to drop and so did his ears, a sadness sweeping over him. "Oh honey, what's wrong?" She then asked, somehow suddenly being beside him._

"_It's just…" He struggled to talk. "It's like I'm talking to my mom again." He couldn't meet her eyes. "I haven't had a mother figure in my life for a long time. It's just something nice to hear again." He looked up to her, a happy smile on his own face but a tear of sadness rolling down his right cheek._

"_You know…your mom is so proud of you, so is your father." She added after a moment, this made him looked back up to her after his head dipped again for a moment. "Not because you possess a great power, but because of how you're willing to use it."_

"_To kill someone?" He questioned._

"_No, because you don't want to." She replied softly. "None of us up there want to you to, but to protect our family and keep your friends safe, it's something only you can do."_

"_By how, draining him of energy to death?" He asked sarcastically. "I don't understand how I can do this. The only power I can use is Aquila's, and that's only if she's beside me. I don't want to hurt anyone else like I did to her when I found out. How can I do something when I can't even touch anyone or shake their paw?"_

"_You know how." She answered motherly. "You have what you need inside you; all you need now is the confidence to carry it out. Trust me…" She then surprised him by licking his cheek, a long one that flicked his ear when she finished. "You can do this; you wouldn't have been given these gifts if you weren't capable." He didn't look at her, but he heard and sensed her walking away, readying to fade away again._

"_There's one more thing." He quickly added, he looked back as she did to him. "How do I convince the others?" He asked, his back still turned to her but his head looking straight at her. "I can't keep leading them around like this. I need them to believe me if they're to help me."_

"_Lupa will give you those." She smiled, her eyes fluttering slowly. "She will be the one to prove to them what they need to see."_

"So now we need to find Lupa?" Aquila asked.

"We need to lose these guys first!" Tarka shouted back, he being a little further behind them. They negotiated their way out of the forest, following the streetlights they began to see coming from the distance. It was an hour's sprint, no stopping and no slowing. The boys were yet to see if they were trustworthy, but theta was something they'd talk about later. They were still pursued by COWEL, every once in a while catching a glimpse of Sam running after them. But for now, they had lost them. But it wouldn't take a genius to know that they were running for civilisation, so they knew, pretty soon, they'd catch up. Peter and Rickie were no longer of their concern, one of them had been caught, but like I said, it was the least of their concerns for the time being.

After the hour long dash, they were tiring and growing fatigued as they now darted across a back alley car park and into the town. It was in the middle of that car park that they came to a stop, needing to take a break. They panted hard and fast, their eyes still being cautious of one another and the tree line. It was only a few minutes later that they began to see lights of torches and vehicles coming through the trees. This break couldn't last long and they knew it from the start. They also predicted that they'd have sent someone to cut them off, so they needed to hurry it up.

They had that woman that could track them, no matter where they went. So they needed as much distance as possible. How could Peter know about her? Was he the traitor? Soon walking along the streets, being as casual as they could be, they tried their hardest to blend in, to not stand out. It was hard when you had just sprinted three miles, so they tried to circulate their breathing. They couldn't trust anyone here, anyone they walked passed could be COWEL. They forest was full of them so it was most likely this town now was too. Being a Friday, many people were in groups, going into bars, nightclubs and just having fun. So spotting a COWEL group was also a tough task. Or so they thought…

"Oh crap." Aquila gasped, pointing out a group of three people who had just rounded the corner in front of them. Their trousers were dirty, signs they had been in the forest, they had a slight sweat creeping down their foreheads, a sign they had been running. To confirm it, no normal person would look at them the way they were doing now, an eagle locking gaze of a murderer. "Where do we go?"

"Just…turn around and walk back calmly." Tarka said, so they did. They turned around and walked back down the street, keeping calm and keeping a normal pace. But still, the men behind them followed, keeping a slightly faster, but casual pace.

"We've got to run." Aquila then seethed.

"We run now, we'll just get more attention." Jonah replied.

"So we'll hide." Tarka added, quickly seeing the perfect place come up on their right. "In there." He nudged Aquila inside and Jonah followed. Sneaking underneath the red rope and behind the bouncer at the door, they made their way down the stairs of what seemed to be a busy nightclub.

They were correct, it was hot, it was loud, it was insane. It was an underground nightclub, full of humans and wolves, dancing and singing, chatting and drinking, most people drunk out of their minds with the bass of the music turned up to it's fullest. It was like an earthquake was erupting down here. It looked kind of fun, they wanted to join in. But no, now wasn't the time.

"Split up." Jonah said. "Blend in and meet back here in five minutes to leave." That was the plan, ad it was at that moment that they looked back up the stairs to see the three men coming back down.

"Quick, go!" Tarka pushed them both down and all three scurried on into the crowd, splitting up and going their own way. It was another hard task to not be trodden on or pushed away by the amount of people that were here. It was more like a full on rave, the three sort of wished they could enjoy this.

Jonah weaved around, never standing still and always moving around. It was after a minute or so that he began to realise that there was a major downside to this plan, how was he supposed to know who was COWEL now? Three he knew for certain came in here, how did he know now if more had come in by now? This was as stupid idea form the very start, they needed to get out of here right now and run! As if fate should have it, he and Aquila walked into one another, only she was in a state of panic. They had only been apart for a minute! "Jonah, they're right behind me!" She practically cried, her eyes already watering. He looked over her shoulder and could see them. Two of them closing in and struggling against the crowd. They couldn't leave here without Tarka; they had to wait to full five minutes as planned. A new strategy was require, and a fast one! He looked left and right, his eyes quickly setting on a couch and a wall, oddly, a spot where three couples found it an appropriate spot to make out. Two sets of humans and two wolves, kissing and cuddling to no end.

"_Fuck it!"_ He screamed mentally. "Come on, this way." He darted towards that spot, Aquila right behind him. She wondered as they moved in towards a spot on the wall, even more so when he jumped up onto his hind legs and leaned back against it and waved for her to come up with him. She began to wonder if he was planning on doing what she was thinking. But she copied him, jumping up and placing his paws either side of his head, when suddenly he rolled and swapped them over. COWEL knew her fur colour better then his, he'd hide her more. Grasping the situation at paw, she gulped and looked to up to her right, two humans leaning against the spot beside them and making out without a care in the world. Then to the two wolves the other side of them on the couch, still, no care shown there. If only they knew COWEL was in the same building. She gulped again and turned her head back to him, Jonah was looked behind him one last time.

"You're crazy." She said loud enough over the music.

"Thank goodness for that." He replied and looking back to her. "Because if I wasn't then this would probably never work. Now kiss me!" She took her paws, wrapped them around his neck and pulled him forwards at the same time she lunged her muzzle towards him. She was shocked, she was even a little disgusted to be doing this with him, her best friend! But what was that she felt, what was that spark inside her she began to feel? She turned her head to the side, feeling a little more grossed out as they deepened the kiss. He accepted it for the time being, this had to look really. "Can you see them?" He asked through the kiss. She opened her eyes and looked passed him, watching as the two men stood just behind Jonah, spoke a few words to one another and then passed on to keep looking. But even though they had gone, why did she not say a word? Was she…? No, she wasn't, she couldn't have, she can't be. Not with Jonah, anyone but Jonah! _"Oh shit."_ She cursed mentally as a sudden warmth flooded her insides. That feeling she hated more then anything in the world, that hot, burning, itching sensation in her stomach.

Because she didn't answer, he made the move and pulled away, their lips smacking as he looked behind them. They had gone. She was frozen, did that really just happen? Did she really just make out with her best friend? Jonah, out of all people?! "They're gone." He said while looking back to her. She tried to contain herself, now, anytime this month and it happens now?! It was ridiculous! "Let's find Tarka and get the heck out of here."

**Holy...f******...s***! So much in so little time. Would you have thought Jonah was getting any closer to solving how to kill Sam? Who is the traitor? Is there even a traitor?**

**On another note guys, I won't be updating by Tuesday next week by the earliest. I'm going away this weekend and won't be back until Monday, so I i'm awake enough then i'll update then. But right now, I'm already running late to leave! Until next time! XD**

**The FalconWolf**


	19. Chapter 19 Truth Be Told

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 19: Truth Be Told

The pain was extraordinary, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. His hands were bound behind his back and he was strapped down to a chair with a bag over his head while two men delivered blow after blow to his face and body. Rickie lay to the side in the back of the shabby hotel room, drifting in and out of consciousness after his turn was already over and done with. His lip was cut, two of his back teeth missing, his body covered in bruises. But that was what he received after being caught by COWEL. All he could do now was watch as his brother's killer watched as the same two that beat him to this bloody mess now beat this second human for information. The human groaned, he cried out several times, unable to fight back. Blood began to seep through the bag it was growing to that state. And it was only a matter of time before he had to give. But firstly, Evelyn, who was listening through the door, came crashing in and grabbing Sam's arm. "That's enough." She demanded and looking straight into his eyes. "You're here to help. You don't run it." She growled.

"Exactly, and this is me helping." He replied and holding his hand back out towards them. She pulled his head down and whispered something to him, which after a moment his eyes opened a little wider. He was surprised to say the least after she pulled away.

"Let me do it. If I'm anything like you then you'll know I can get him to talk. We're family after all." He wasn't sure, but it had to be worth a try.

"That's enough." He said as he raised his hand. One of the men took one last punch before stepping back. "As a way of apology." He grinned smugly and motioning for the other two men to follow him out. They shut the door behind him, leaving her, Nathan, Rickie and the human alone. His head dangled lifelessly, blood and saliva dripped from the bag. Evelyn was heart torn to see what had happened, she didn't want this. She walked quickly to him and gently pulled the bag off Peter's head, smearing the blood a little over his face. For the first time, he was able to see where he was. A bad looking hotel room, just a bed and a bathroom, but he could hardly move. That was until he saw who was lifting his head up. He lashed out, kicking his foot out towards her, his movement was sloppy, so he missed and she avoided it.

"Steady." She said calmly. "We're not going to hurt you." She looked back and up to Nathan and gestured to his hands. He understood and walked around behind the chair, causing Peter to flinch ever so slightly before settling a little after he felt his bonds loosen.

"But…you're fine with…shooting me?" He breathed heavily. His hands suddenly, loosened and flopped around to the sides. His weight pushed himself forwards and into Evelyn's arms. He was quick to react and push her away, falling back to the floor and against the chair. "Don't touch me."

"We didn't ask for any of this to happen." Nathan replied hot temperedly as he leaned on the top on the wooden chair. He groaned and seethed as he used the chair and then the wooden table to his right to pull himself up to his feet. He looked behind Nathan, the window had nail hammered into it to stop it from behind opened. And then underneath it, Rickie lay with his head in a puddle of his own blood. But he was alive, that's all that mattered.

"He'll be fine." Evelyn said. "And so will you be if you, but only if you see sense."

"I'm not coming back!" He growled and looking to her. She was now on the other side of the room, at a sink, soaking a cloth with water before she threw it across to him. He caught it, glaring at her for a moment before using it to wipe his face clean. "I'm never coming back."

"We raised you better." Nathan added.

"Oh don't start the whole amazing dad routine." Peter spat, little did he realise, it was then that Rickie zoned back into reality and heard it. "I don't care who to are, I left because I hate you and what you do. It's sick."

"It's what our family has done for a long time now." Evelyn replied. "You really think we're just going to let you walk away when you have so much potential?"

"Are you even married yet?" He then used reverse psychology. The looks on their faces told him everything. Perfect. "See, this life is limited. You're what… early forties now and still not married." Brilliant, he hit them where it hurts. "Just give it up, live differently and get married. Either way, you aren't getting me back."

"We can forgive you." Nathan's voice sounded pleading. "Sam won't, he would happily have you killed. That's what the Ditori in his time did if anyone left. Please, just come back." Peter just glared back at him, no sign of giving in appeared on his face.

"We'll leave you to think it over." Evelyn said after a moment, Nathan nodding in agreement. "We want you back. We love you, believe it or not." And with that, they walked out the room, shutting the door behind them. He groaned in anger and pain as he held the soaked cloth over his cut bottom lip, bending forwards a little and using his other hand to steady himself as he leaned back onto the wooden table behind him.

"It was you." Rickie suddenly rasped. He looked over, finding Rickie awake and trying to sit up. "You're the…"

"I was never a traitor." Peter intervened.

"But you're one of them." Rickie replied after finally sitting up and leaning against the wall. "You're their son." He was furious; he was scared, locked in a room with a COWEL member!

"I was." Peter snapped back. Rickie looked scared, but unconvinced most of all. Peter then sighed. "I was born into COWEL; those people were my mom and dad." Rickie listened, but it was going to take a lot of convincing to change his thoughts on him. "I didn't have a choice about what I did back then. If they went on a riot or a raid, I went with them. If they tortured wolves, then I was there to watch, I didn't have any choice. When it came to my sixteenth birthday and I was told to kill a wolf if I wanted to remain a part of COWEL, I said no." It was so vivid, it was like this memory was being played before his eyes, like he was reliving it all again. "I looked the wolf I was supposed to kill in the eye, I set him free and I ran away. I was homeless, I had nothing. I found a homeless shelter, there they helped me and sent me to finish school. It was hard, I didn't know anything and I couldn't cope. But then I met Henry."

"Henry? As in Jonah's uncle?" Peter nodded.

"He helped me in my senior year with my work; he became more of a friend then a teacher. Over the years since I left COWEL, they've tried finding me, tried to bring me back. But I just kept running, I never stayed in the same place for long or else I knew my mom would find me. Henry knew all about this, he knew all about me and helped me stay safe. So I vowed that if he ever needed me then I'd be there."

"And that's how you got roped into this?"

"I volunteered." Peter replied. "Henry got me out of my mess, now I'm helping him." Rickie was beginning to understand. He flinched a little in freight when Peter was suddenly bent down in front of him, gently getting down to his knees and holding the cloth up. Rickie knew what was going on and nodded, allowing Peter to begin cleaning his face. "I owed a debt to him." He continued. "I don't care who I met along the way and I don't care what I had to do, as long as I repaid it. I'm not with COWEL anymore, I never truly was, I was forced and I didn't like it."

"So you're willing to go against yore own parents?" Rickie wondered. If he was to trust Peter then he needed to know what lengths he was willing to go to.

"They aren't my parents." He nodded with a sigh. "My parent's wouldn't have shot at me and ruined my car."

"That's good to hear." Rickie smiled, quickly regretting it as it brought pain to his lip. "So what now?" He then asked afterwards.

"We figure a way out of here."

Meanwhile, a few dozen miles away in another hotel, Aquila sat staring down at her paws while in the shower. The one beauty of hotels like this, specifically made for wolves, was that everything was perfect, including the showers. It was a small place, two beds and a shower/bathroom. Still, it wasn't good enough in a way. She was having a nightmare, the coldish water blasting down on her wasn't helping, the heat was striking in full effect, in the worst of situations too. It flashed before her very eyes every minute, that kiss. Every time, she'd close her eyes and wish she never saw it, that it never happened. But it wasn't heat that affected her then, it wasn't the heat that made her continue. It was something else. _"NO!"_ She groaned in disgust and annoyance, gritting her teeth and shaking her head. This was horrid, knowing she was going to be sleeping in the same room as a wolf who has been flirting with her for the last few days and…and the wolf that she kissed and…now began to feel something for.

It happened again, a flash of that kiss, the taste of his saliva, his paws running down and all over her body, the moans that escaped her, the groans that elicited out of him. The feeling of him against her, the brief second flick of his tongue, their bodies transferring heat and pushing against one another. She groaned louder in anger and practically punched the lever to make it colder, quickly, near ice cold water poured down onto her. She wanted something else to think of. Even though it wasn't real, how could she enjoy it? It was for survival, it meant nothing, so why did she feel something? Each time she thought of it, a wave of lust and heat erupted in her lower stomach, all perfectly normal, which made her hate it all the more. This wasn't the heat talking; this was something else, not a lust attraction. This can't be happening, not with the wolf she's known and been great friends with for years. This wasn't fair, this was horrid. The cold started to grow quickly, as did her shivering. But she didn't want to turn it off, the colder the better, even if she started to slip lower and lower until she was tucked up into a ball and beginning to cry.

She had been sitting in there for nearly a whole hour, nobody else was in the room until that hour was nearly up and Tarka walked into their room and shutting the door behind him. He could hear the shower in the room to his right still going, but he stopped at the door when he heard the crying. He tapped on the door. "Aquila?" He heard nothing back. So carefully, he opened the door and peeked inside. It wasn't steamy as he first thought it would be, if anything it was cold in here. He stepped inside, walking to the shower curtain and gently pulled it across, revealing her still lying under the shower with the water continuously pouring over her. He could see it was on its coldest. "The heat that bad, huh?" He wondered. She looked up to him for a moment, using just her eyes, her head still as she shivered in her tight ball. "I didn't think it was supposed to be that bad."

"It's not." She sniffed. "It's just me being stupid."

"Well…" He reached over to turn off the shower. "How about you stop be stupid and warm up." He chuckled, switching off then. Still she shivered, still she cried quietly with her eyes closed. The emotional pain she was feeling was immense, it was ripping her apart from the insides. She couldn't understand it, feelings for Jonah! The first to ever have made her feel the way she was. It was the fact she was fighting it, she didn't want to believe or think of it.

Tarka stood by the side of the bath, watching and wondering if this was some effect of heat. He knew it was bad, but this bad? "What's wrong?" This wasn't heat, he knew it.

"Why do you care?" She asked while crying, covering her eyes with her paws.

"Excuse me?" He asked half amused and half serious.

"I don't even know you, so why do you care what's wrong?" Ok, this was serious.

"Well…we're friends aren't we?" He questioned, he thought they were anyway. "We're in this together."

"Jonah's my friend, but I don't see him anywhere." She sobbed. This wasn't working, things were only getting worse. Heat drives she-wolves crazy! She sensed him move, and a peeked out from under her paw revealed him stepping into the bath with her and sitting behind her. "You're not helping." She sniffed.

"You're cold, how about you warm up." He suggested. "That's all I'm trying to do." She thought about it for a moment, would she control herself around him? She was freeze, it was worth the risk. She nodded and shuffled to her left, allowing him room to cram in behind her. She soon began to feel his warmth transferring into her, but her shivering continued and would do for a little while longer. "Now tell me, what's wrong?" She began to feel a little better, a slight sense of security while around him. She sniffed again, wiping off her wet cheeks before she did.

"I'm just torn." She replied, this time a little calmer and able to get her words out. "I'm being pulled in a direction that I don't want to in. So when I fight it, it just hurts and makes me feel sick." She began to choke on her words towards the end, another wave of that memory and feelings hitting her. Tarka felt helpless, he didn't understand. Jonah was her best friend, he might know. But he said he wanted to be alone as well, he wanted to try and sense out that woman who could find them, to see if she was close. He said he'd be out there for an hour at least. "I can't choose." She continued. "I can't fight against it, I can't do it." She then turned her head and looked back and up at him. "What would you do?" She asked. "Would you fight it and try to ignore it or just go with it, no matter how disgusting it sounds." He wanted to say that it depended on the situation, but somehow he thought it didn't sound right.

"I'd do what I thought was right." He replied. "I'd go with what my instincts told me."

"What if your instincts told you it was weird or wrong?" She then questioned quickly. "What if they told you it was something that could ruin something else? Like a friendship or a relationship similar to that?"

"Then I'd do something to take my mind of it." He replied. She whined and dropped her head onto the bath floor. That's not what she wanted to hear, she's been trying that for a whole fucking hour! "I'd go out; I'd take a gentle walk, maybe go and see my friends." She whined even more. Friends, that was the reason she was like this! "Maybe do something exciting?" He then suggested. It made her wonder.

"Exciting?"

"You know, something that'll make you forget everything." He replied. "Something you'll never forget yourself and will replace every other thought."

"Like what?" She was growing intrigued as she looked back up to him.

"Something that'll make your heart race. Something like an adrenaline rush, maybe even…" He could no longer speak, for the shock was not the only thing to have stopped him, but also Aquila's lips as she sprung herself at his own. His eyes widened as hers closed. What was she doing? Why was she doing this? Her heat? His eyes began to roll to the back of his head and eventually close as she pushed herself deeper into him to get more of him. She rolled over, her chest now pushed against his and soon all of her body did after he pulled her against him. This was strange, they hardly knew each other and they were doing this? Tarka didn't understand, but he certainly wasn't objecting.

After a few moments, Aquila pulled away, biting her bottom lip in frustration and looking down in-between them. She dare not meet his eyes. "What...err…what was that?" He asked nervously. Was this going to be one time thing? She felt she was going to regret what she was going to say, but she wanted to forget it, and this was the easiest way.

"Shall we..." She gulped. "Shall we take this to the bedroom?" She looked back into his eyes.

It was only a matter of moments before she was being backed out of the bathroom, still wet and practically pushed out as Tarka pushed her out while kissing her. She wanted this, he wanted this. Jonah wasn't going to be back for a while so they had time. They kissed, she moaned and groaned each time they tasted the other's tongue and wanted more of it. She began to allow her lust her heat gave her to take over, this was beginning to work. They broke the kiss for a split second to allow Aquila to jumped up onto the bed and roll onto her back, soon having Tarka jumping back onto her and pushing his lips back down against hers. She wrapped her paws around his head and neck, wanting more of him.

He broke the kiss to work on her neck, kissing and nipping her there which she purred and groaned more at. Even more so when she felt his paw start to brush down her side and resting in her waist. God, she wanted him, there was no holding back! But then it happened, as his paws began to wonder all over her chest and side, she had that flash of Jonah doing it. She opened her eyes, needing to be sure that it wasn't happening again. It certainly wasn't and she was glad. She took her forepaws and pushed his chest, using her strength to push him back and over onto his back. There they swapped places and resumed the intimate kiss. It was working, she was beginning to forget, but she wasn't enjoying this as much, and he somehow knew it as they rolled over. He used one of his forepaws and pulled her hips up against his as he stood back over her, his sheath against her stomach. It wasn't the first time, she loved the feeling of it, it made her all the more excited. The scents that flooded his nostril, the noses she made, it excited him all the more. The more he drive insane with his own heat induced lust the more she began to remember, that was until she remembered why she was doing it.

She saw it again, another flash of Jonah standing over her. It was so vivid that even when she opened her eyes that's who she saw, not Tarka. She blinked rapidly as Tarka began to slow things down, steadily kissing his way down her face and to her neck. She purred again, trying to block out the memory. But she couldn't, it wasn't working. She wasn't seeing Tarka because she didn't want it to be, she wanted it to be Jonah! That's why she felt so sick, because it was Jonah, her best friend, that triggered her heat and gave her these thoughts. She wanted Jonah to be in Tarka's place, and it wasn't the heat that was making her want that. It wasn't some heat driven fantasy, it was her heart that told her that. But why? Why Jonah out of all wolves? She continued to think this as Tarka continued to work his way down, gradually reaching her chest and keeping his paw underneath her to keep her waist up. _"Oh my god, It's Jonah!" _She knew now! She knew now why she felt so sick. It wasn't the fact that she wanted to do this with Jonah; it was the fact it wasn't! She wanted to scream it. _"I LOVE JONAH!"_

"Tarka stop!" She said quickly and reaching down to lift his head. He had reached her stomach, near to his goal. He looked back up to her; both of them breathing heavily but his face showing that of confusion.

"What's wrong?" He asked, remaining still and ready to continue.

"I'm sorry…" She said sincerely. "But I can't do this." It was taking her all to do this. She may be seeing sense, but her heat still had a mind and plan of its own, and she was trying her hardest to fight against it.

"What…? Why not?" He asked and still remaining still. She felt horrible, to be doing this, get this far and then stop everything.

"Look, I'm really sorry, truly I am. But I…"

"It's ok." He intervened, seeing she was struggling. He dropped her waist and set her back down before crawling around to sit beside her. "I understand."

"Believe me, it's not you, it's all me. It's just…there's someone else." She remained lying on her back.

"It's fine, please, you don't need to say anything." He smiled and nodded. He was also being honest, he really did understand, she needn't say anymore. "I'm not going to force you into anything."

"Thank you." She smiled. She may not want to do this anymore with him, but she wanted to show her gratitude to him by kissing him one last time. A short but still sweet kiss on the lips. "I had fun though. You helped me understand too, so thank you."

"You're welcome, glad to help anytime you want to." He chuckled.

**I know many of you said it from the very beginning, but could you still be right? Aquila loves Jonah! But does he feel the same way? Who though thought Peter was Evelyn and Nathan's son? Thank my brilliant partner, Bastard from North for that twist. I wanted something like that and he gave it to me! Cheers buddy! So how do Peter and Rickie propose to get out of that room? What of this Lightening Girl? Have any of you got any more ideas on her true identity and when she might come in next? Well, review and read on to find out. Until next time!**

**The FalconWolf**


	20. Chapter 20 Desperate Measures

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 20: Desperate Measures

Sitting on a bench outside, Jonah sought out time alone to try and sense out COWEL's own tracker. He was zone out completely, not a part of him was aware of what was happening right around him. He wanted to focus, hence why he asked Tarka to go back to the room and check on how Aquila was doing on word that he leaves if things got too intense for either of them. Also because someone needed to open windows, otherwise neither of them would be sleeping tonight if the smell built up in the room. And being the only one who could find out if they were followed, Tarka volunteered while Jonah stayed and search. Although his eyes were open, his wasn't seeing anything standing or walking past him, for his sixth sense was wide open and reaching out as far as he could reach.

He searched the streets and alleys; he searched each individual home and hotel supernatural woman. Out of this whole town, he didn't find a single supernatural. But he wanted to be sure, so he stretched his sense out to its farthest, scanning beyond the town and the towns next door. Still, no supernatural energy could be found. They may not be in hiding any longer, but they were still hard to come across. Only seven percent of both Humans and Wolf Kind were supernatural, and with far more humans then wolves on the planet, it was hard to come across gifted wolves. So Aquila was a rare find for him, and she didn't have powers when they first met and neither did he. So when they both started going through that tough time of breaking out into their powers, it was a case of "show me yours and I'll show you mine and we'll work together to teach each other". Was that what made them such good friends? Because it was hard to come across others like themselves?

Did he ruin what they already had? He wondered that for the last two and a half hours. That kiss, after it happened she was very quiet, too quite, compared to how she usually is. She tried not to look at him, she hardly spoke. They last he saw of her was when she went into the shower to cool down. He broke the kiss, the kiss was only to hide in plain sight, there was nothing to it, it meant nothing. So…if it meant nothing, then why did he find his sense failing him? He clenched his eyes tightly as it interrupted his search and gritted his teeth in frustration. _"Again?! This is the third time!"_ He bellowed mentally. His sensed relied on the emotion of loss. If he thinks of something he lost, then he shall find the supernatural he wants. So what was this emotion he received each time he was thinking of the kiss? He zoned back out, ignoring everything that occurred around him, thinking of nothing but the loss of his parents, the strongest memory with the most potent emotion he had. He further expanded his search, reaching out to a twenty mile radius. This time, he came across one supernatural, just not the one he wanted to find, so he ignored it.

So why was it that each time he thought of the kiss his sense failed? _"Damn it!"_ He growled again. His lips on hers, her body pulling him against her, her body heat, her heart beat. He hadn't felt a feeling like this before, and it was strong enough to beat his strongest emotion. So what was it? He opened his eyes and looked down to the concrete. He was alone, the wooden bench he was sat on with the hotel wall just behind him, and the car park stretched out before him. Why did his heart beat that little bit faster? Why was his sense intervened each time he thought of the kiss that meant nothing? It was ridiculous!

"It can't have been easy." A female voice then spoke. He let out an amused sign, but he never faced the voice sitting to his left beside him.

"How long have you been sitting there?" He asked, knowing full who was there.

"Around ten minutes." The mysterious lightening girl giggled a little bit.

"Well, no, it never is." Jonah then answered and then looking up to her. "I'm supposed to kill someone, I might have lost a cousin, I have a power that's unfair, I can't touch anyone. Things suck right about now." He hung his head low again, the female beside him not really knowing what to do other then prove something. Out the corner of his eye, he saw her move, her paw shuffling over towards his. He brought it away, looking at her bewildered. "What are you doing?"

"Just…trust me, ok?" He didn't move and he didn't respond. She looked back down and inched her paw closer. She was crazy, she didn't know what she was about to get herself into. Jonah waited, knowing full well what she was going to experience. Or so he thought.

She scooped his paw up in one of hers and picked it up. Nothing happened, she was fine and Jonah was amazed by this. How was she not collapsing like Aquila did? She placed her other paw on top of his. His eyes darted from their paws touching to her eyes, how was this possible? "Just don't ask." She said. "Just know that in the end, everything will be ok." She continued. "Rickie will be safe, so will Peter, everyone will be ok."

"Who are you?" He asked, his eyes narrowing a little as he stared into her grey eyes.

"You've been calling me "lightening girl" for a while now. I think you should stick to that. I can't think of a better name." She smiled and placing his paw back down. "I'm pretty sure I've gotten things mixed up, but I can't be sure until next time I see you. So until then, you need to head north, all the way to Alaska."

"Alaska?" Jonah questioned. "What the hell are we supposed to find up there?"

"Something old." She giggled. "Something VERY old."

"Before you go…" He quickly added, knowing she would any time now. "Where are you getting all this from?" He then asked. "Who's telling you all this? You're so young and I've never met you before, so somebody must be telling you. Is it Henry?"

"Nope, but I can tell you that you'll never guess." She smiled again and shaking her head. "If everything is just as ruined as in think it is, then you should know the next time you see me. That WILL be the last time you see me for two months."

"I never thanked you." He then added. "Your helping someone that you don't even know, it's very brave of you."

"I get it from my dad." She replied with yet another smile which Jonah returned.

"Well, I guess I'll see ya around." He responded and readying to hop off the bench.

"Defiantly, you don't have a choice sly dog." It was then he jumped down, but upon hearing those words he looked back to her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, raising an eye brown out of curiosity.

"I know what you're going to be doing pretty soon." She grinned, then winked and then flashed and boomed the way she did. Not exactly in the best of places, for the bench beside her set ablaze in her wake. Jonah's eyes widened and his face turned into that of shock. Did she have any idea what she was leaving behind?

Meanwhile, a plan was hatched and a draw was opened and thrown on the floor. Rickie had a plan, but for it to happen he needed a few things. So the draw peter pulled out had nothing inside he could use, so that flew across the room out of anger. Next he went over to the window, once again in a desperate attempt to try and remove the dozens of nails hammered down to keep them inside. Rickie was underneath the bed as best as he could fit; discover a good amount of things. "This place really is a pile of crap!" He exclaimed. "They keep their saucepans under the bed. How do they pass their hygiene tests?!" He pulled out from underneath the bed a metal cooking pot and gave it a blow, brushing and tipping all the dust, flush and other disgusting particles off and out of it. It brought a sting to his lip when he did it, but this was necessary if they wanted to escape.

Peter tugged and groaned as he strained to lift the window, groaning as he tried to elbow it so the glass would brake. That didn't work either, with now with a sore elbow; he went back to lifting the nails out one by one. He seethed and groaned, his hands hurt, this wasn't working. But that wasn't the reason he stopped. He stopped because he heard a noise and he hoped to God it wasn't what he thought it was. "Oh shit! Rickie, come on!" He averted his eyes upon seeing Rickie with his leg cocked over the metal bowl, the noise he was hearing…well, isn't it obvious?

"You're plan isn't working, so this is mine!" He retaliated.

"And what's that? Throw pee on them so we can escape!" Peter exclaimed and once again beginning to tug on the rusty nails.

"Not quite." Rickie answered, a few more noises were heard until it stopped. "Now you."

"What?!" Peter bellowed and turning to face him.

"Urine is acidic. In this room I have what I need to make it more potent and faster acting. The more I have, the faster I can make those nails rust away and we can get out of here." He can't be serious. His eyes looked around the room, searching for hope in another way to get out of this mess. There wasn't. He looked back down to Rickie who waited and held his paw out for the bowl. So with great awkwardness and embarrassment, he growled and stepped forwards and swapped places with Rickie.

"You owe me for this." Peter grumbled as they passed.

"You already are." And with great regret, Peter did what needed to be done. "Take you time." Rickie added cheekily.

"Shut up!" Peter snapped, not seeing any amusement in this. After a few silent, awkward moment, Rickie heard him finish. "Ok fine, now what?"

"Now, break off the hinges to the drawers. I need the copper nuts." So Peter grabbed the draw he previously flung across the room and threw it hard into the floor.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" He asked as he picked it up and did it again.

"Yeah, I'm sure it is." Rickie replied confidently. Suddenly, the door flung open, and it wasn't a COWEL member that crashed inside. In fact, it wasn't even human. They froze in their positions as they stared at the she-wolf only Peter knew. Peter had the draw above his head, readying to throw it again and Rickie was stood before the pot of pee.

"How did you do that?" Peter asked.

"It was unlocked." The lightening girl answered.

"Unlocked?" Rickie asked. Surely not!

"Yeah, why, did you try the door?" She then asked. Both boys just looked at one another. Man they felt stupid. Smashing up the room, breaking everything, peeing in a pot, hurting themselves more, and the door was fucking unlocked!

"How did you find us?" Peter then asked and dropping the draw. Still it didn't smash, but it didn't matter now.

"That doesn't matter." She responded. "What does is that you remember this moment and tell Jonah and Aquila this. It's imperative that you do. Do you understand?"

"Who…wait, huh…?" Rickie couldn't get his words together.

"Go north towards Alaska; you'll meet my mom and dad there. You must find them or else everything you've done will be for nothing."

"Your mom and dad?"

"Oh shit! I've done it again!" She growled to herself in anger. Once again, the two boys looked at one another in confusion, right before she vanished again in her own way.

"I'm sorry, but do you know her?" Rickie asked, he was beginning to gain a headache from this amount of confusion.

"All too well I'm afraid." Peter grumbled. "Let's get the heck out of here."

**It's been a short chapter today guys, but have no fear, the next shall be a lot longer. Anyone want to have anymore guess as to who the Lightening Girl is and what the next and final artefact could be? Until next time! :)**

**The FalconWolf**


	21. Chapter 21 The Oldest Of All

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 21: The Oldest Of All

It was going into the late afternoon two whole days later when the coach pulled over and Jonah, Aquila and Tarka stepped out. Alaska, colder then it turned out to be. They weren't used to this weather, but it was tough, they'd have to get used to it quickly. It was a day's drive in a coach to get here. The town they spent overnight in had a bus station and long distance service with it, so they caught the first bus they could to get here. And now they were here, pressing their paws into the coldness of the snow as it crunched under their weight. They could stretch; they could loosen up from the confines of the cramped vehicle they spent the last near forty eight hours in. Sure it stopped from time to time, but it was horrid each time they had to step back inside. The rest of the passengers would agree. They had to transfer to a different coach nearly halfway there, not that, that matters anyway.

Things went on as normal; nothing could get in the way. Aquila, for now, tried her hardest to bury her feelings towards Jonah, knowing that sooner or later they'd return as apparent as ever. He couldn't know, not now, and hopefully never! She didn't want to risk ruining that friendship they already had just because of her. Tarka, he had no issues with anyone. Not with Aquila from their intimate moment, like he said, he wasn't going to force her into anything. He had a good heart that he showed clear, she had someone else in her life she told him, so he was a lucky guy, who ever it was. Jonah, he just wanted to get through all this without anything coming between him, his cousin or Aquila. He felt something for her, and during the coach trip he was starting to wonder if it was something he hoped it wasn't. He loved Aquila, but as a friend. Well, that's all he wanted it to be anyway. If only he knew Aquila felt more…

Rickie and Peter were no longer a thought. One of them was a traitor and had been luring COWEL to them wherever they went. Sure, Rickie was family and he had nothing to lose anymore; he had lost his brother after all. But Jackie would be devastated if something happened to him. She was already reluctant for him to come with them anyway. Either he was caught, which deep down Jonah wished hadn't happened, or he had got away to safety. Peter, well…it had to be him. He was human, so he would be the only one who would have connections to COWEL if any.

But that was then, this is now. "God, it's great to be out of there." Tarka groaned as he arched his back, feeling his back pop in a few places.

"You and me both." Aquila added while she reached out her forepaws and pushed her chest towards the ground. "We've only got a few hours of light left, I say we either find or build a den and carry on tomorrow."

"Carry on where though?" Tarka then asked. "We don't know where we're heading or what we're looking for."

"The forest." Jonah answered. "Come on man, you of all people should know who we're looking for all the way up here." He chuckled. Tarka thought for a moment, and when the realisation finally hit, he never would have guessed before.

"The Dire Wolves?" He nearly exclaimed. "You can't be serious."

"You're part Dire Wolf, right?"

"Going back to Faolan, yeah." He replied. "But still, I wouldn't count that anymore."

"It's your ancestral home." Aquila added. "You've got to have some kind of instinctual pull somewhere out there."

"Seriously? You're not going to start all that crap are you?" He chuckled.

"You're our best link cuz." Jonah added. "Now come on, where's the first direction that comes to mind?" This was ridiculous, his instincts weren't all that great, and they wanted him to take them all to a place he had never been to before. But he played alone.

"Fine, north east." He said, finding this rather amusing.

"Perfect, we'll start there, go as far as we can and find shelter before we freeze." Jonah smiled.

And with that said and done, they started on towards the forest on the outskirts of the town, all following a random direction that would most defiantly be the wrong one. They had no idea where they were going, but Tarka, even though he hadn't been there before, was their only hope of getting there. It was his ancestral home, so he must have some kind of instinctual pull towards it if he looked and listened hard enough. Well, that's what Jonah hoped anyway. It was funny to think that Tarka was part Dire Wolf; he didn't look it at all. Maybe he might be a little taller then most wolves, but still…there was no telling other then that. That gene was either long gone or very suppressed in his side of the family. But even suppressed genes can show through after all. Look at Jonah for example; powers in the family were near extinct, yet a gene in him proved strong enough to shine through and give him his own. Just not enough in Henry, Tarka, Rickie, Jackie, anyone! Blake was another fortunate one, a very lucky one. There had to be so many of their family out there who had the Starnik gene in them, but how many had powers? That was the big question. Was it just him now? Or were there more? Three, ten, twelve…forty?! How suppressed was the Starnik gene really? He wished he could find out.

That was one of the topics they spoke of as they trudged their way through the Alaskan forests, nearly chest deep in snow. Everything below that was starting to become numb from the cold, the snow sticking to their fur and freezing more as the night came, adding to the cold temperature to beyond freezing. Their breath was like a mist now each time they breathed out. Tiredness and fatigue was growing, not to mention hunger. So it was a matter of time before someone gave in, and it was Aquila who tripped and couldn't' get back up. The boys heard, and Tarka ran back to help her up. "This is getting ridiculous!" He exclaimed. "We're going to freeze out here Jonah, we need to find shelter."

"No, it's fine." Aquila insisted. "I can keep going."

"Don't be stupid." Jonah replied, seeing now this was as far as they were going tonight. There was a tiny bit of light left in the sky, and looking up dark clouds swirled above. "It looks like a storms coming, we'll build a den and wait it out."

"What about food?" Tarka then asked. "We haven't eaten since mid-day."

"I'll go find something." He answered. "You two start on the den, there's nothing out here so we'll have to make one. I'll go hunt and bring back what I can find."

"I've got more experience with hunting." Tarka added before Jonah started to walk away. "I live in the woods, I hunt everyday. Maybe I should go and you stay here with her to build the den?" Jonah looked at Aquila, their gazes locking. No, it wasn't fair. Those feelings he managed to bury down during the coach trip came back as he looked into her eyes, finding himself drawn into their beauty. No, he couldn't think these things. It wasn't fair on him or her. He shook his head, both to say no and to clear those thoughts away.

"I've got it." He replied. "I can hunt, I'll…I'll be back soon."

She actually wanted him to stay; she wanted Tarka to go and Jonah to stay. She had feelings for Jonah, more then she had before. She wanted to be close to him, she wanted to spend more time with him then she'd do before. She watched him walk away into the night, a torn feeling dwelling inside her. This was a horrible feeling she was experiencing, love for a friend. Jonah kept his eyes ahead of him; he dared not look back at her. He felt just as bad, torn. Love his friend and possibly ruin something great which they had, or keep things buried.

Night came faster then Jonah anticipated, he was plunged into darkness with no lights and near zero vision. It was a good thing his eye sight was sharp, heck, it was a good thing he was a wolf all together in this moment. He'd been trudging around for nearly an hour now, Aquila and Tarka must have had some luck with the den by now. He however…nothing. There were no tracks; any tracks that were here had been covered over by the fresh snow that must have fallen recently. And any prey that might live around here had already taken cover from the snow storm that would hit any moment now. This was harder then he first thought, maybe Tarka was better off being out here. He was the more experienced hunter, living in the wild still and all.

No! He shook that thought from his head straight away and growled angrily at himself. He didn't want to be near her, he didn't want to even think of her. Each time he did, he only thought back to those feelings…that kiss. "It meant nothing for god's sake!" He shouted up into the sky. "Just stop it already!" Nobody would hear him, the only thing he heard back was his own echo. He had grown fed up of this, he wanted to unleash something. He felt a presence listening, and although there was nobody around, he sensed someone, whether that be his imagination or not, listening to his shouts. "Look, this has to stop." He continued a little quieter, lifting his head high and looking up to the dark clouds. "You've pushed me around, you've pinned me to this spot I find myself in and I can't get up." His ancestors, that's who he was addressing. "You want me to kill someone, so that's what I'll do if that makes everyone else safe. But what's happening to me has to stop. I can't do all this and everything you're asking me to do like I am now. You don't tell me what I need to know and you defiantly haven't told me how I'm supposed to kill Sam. I get a new power that I still can't get over, I've lost my cousin and I have no idea if he's safe, I've lost my home and now I'm on COWEL's most wanted list and right now I'm in the middle of no-where talking to nothing! It's not fair, you decide its fine to kick me while I'm down, so if the message wasn't clear enough, I'm a little pissed!" He then began to lose his temper a little more. "I don't know what you want of me now, but it's going to stop. I'm going to stand right here until it stops! You're going to tell me how to kill Sam in straight words and you're going to stop whatever it is that's happening to me. What is it? What do you want me to do? I don't love Aquila, is that it? Is that what you want me to do? I don't love her, SO STOP IT!"

He bore his teeth up at the sky, his eyes narrowed and his hackles raised his was that furious. He was that angry, this wasn't fair. He didn't love Aquila, he didn't want to. He'd fight it until his death bed. It wasn't right, he can't love his best friend in that way, not when she didn't feel the same way towards him. Of course he didn't get an answer, so he just lowered his head and looked down at his paws, closing his eyes and exhaling loudly. He was screaming at the frigging sky, was it really getting that bad? "I can't do this." He whispered. "Not when you're being unfair to me." His eyes looked to the left on the floor as a fresh snowflake fell. Then another the other side of him, and another, and another. He looked up as big, but gradual, snowflakes began to fall. He couldn't help but laugh as his anger peaked far beyond what he thought was capable. "Perfect, just…perfect." He sighed. "Thanks." He heard something move to his left. He gasped and spun around, just seeing a big, dark figure suddenly run away into the darkness where his eyes couldn't see. A bear? No, it looked too lean to be. A deer? Defiantly not, way too fast. A wolf perhaps? Nope, too big? Wait… "A Dire Wolf? Hey…WAIT PLEASE!" He shouted and beginning to chase, hoping he went in the same direction it went in.

"Please wait…just stop!" He shouted again as he tried to follow the prints. He was only able to follow them for a few minute until the snow had already covered them up. They were wolf prints, that must was for sure. But the size of them, he'd never seen such giant sized prints before; it had to be a Dire Wolf's. But where had it gone? So where were the rest of them? The family stories of the Starnik said they lived in a hidden temple like the one in Idaho; it had to be around here somewhere. He was beginning to beg now, he was so close! He then heard it again, another rush and scampering off paws beside him. He didn't wait to look and started running again, finding and now following another set of paw prints left behind. It was fast, too fast for him to keep up with. "Please…" He shouted again and begging now more then ever. "I need…" SMACK! He ran full force into a low branch of a tree, so hard he ended up somersaulting backwards before landing on his back and sliding a little way.

His vision blurred from the impact, he could taste blood inside his mouth and more trickling down his face. It hurt, that much he was certain of. He lost grip on reality quickly, but not before something appeared over his head. Through the layer of blur, that black silhouette now stood over him, its breath freezing and blowing on his face. It rumbled deeply as its green eyes gazed down on him. He couldn't speak, he couldn't beg for mercy as a set of white teeth descended down on him.

"Jonah!" Aquila shouted. He'd been gone longer then they hoped for, and now she was beginning to worry. Tarka and her had set a rule, while out here, they don't go anywhere where they can't see one another, so she stood a few metres away from the den they had made for the night and called and howled for him, all with no response. She was scared for his sake, this was unknown territory, nobody knew the dangers of this place and what other predators that could be out there. Tarka stood at the start to the den; it was small but big enough for three to sleep and stay warm.

"Maybe he found a den and is taking shelter." Tarka wondered.

"No, he'd still reply if he did." She didn't look at him; she continued to scan the darkness with her eyes. "Something must be wrong; he can't have gone that far away."

"Look, there's nothing we can do about it now." He replied and coming to her side. "You're going to freeze out here. Let's just…head back inside and we'll look for him in the morning and catch some food on the way."

"I'm too worried to sleep or eat." She responded with watery eyes. "We have to find him." He stopped her before she even took a step.

"You go out there now and you're just as well off as he is." He snapped. "Jonah's smart, crazy…but smart. He'll be fine, all we can do is head inside before we freeze and wait for him to come back." She was reluctant; of course she didn't want to leave him out there when this snow was getting heavier. What if he was hurt? What if he was hurt and about to be buried under a possible twelve inches of snow? But she saw reason, and she felt selfish to not show more care.

But then they heard something, something dropping and then quickly running away. Looking behind them, three dead rabbits lay in a pile just outside the den, and looking away to the right of the den, the snow trailed in a way that showed something had just run that way. Jonah? No, so who? Aquila ran in the direction the thing ran in, but stopped upon reaching the rabbits. She looked down to them as Tarka walked up to her, a note written in the snow above them read. _"He's safe."_ That was all. But who was it? Who did this? Who had Jonah?

**Hey guys, I know it's been a while, but I've had a lot of working to do and very little time to type. So i'll ask again, who was it? Who did it? Who has Jonah? Who was he chasing and what is the artefact? You might know what it is, if you know my story well enough that is. :)**

**On another note, I can't help but get the feeling that I might be losing some of my readers. I don't know if this is because this isn't about the usual Starnik characters or something else, but I can't help it. I think it's because once again I'm only seeing three people reviewing when in the previous series I had around six or seven. I'd like to have more readers and reviews so I know how to improve my stories.**

**The FalconWolf**


	22. Chapter 22 Family Come Home

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 22: Family Come Home

Staking Peter and Rickie out was all Sam could do now. He left that door unlocked for a reason and was surprised by how long it took them to realise it was. If they got out, then they'd lead him and the others straight to their friends. They were a threat; the threat needed eliminating before anything else could be done. In his mind, if wolves bred the way that they did, then there could be on hundred Starnik wolves, many of which could indeed have powers. He could have everything he ever wanted, Starnik wolves for his own use. But these ones wouldn't come to see that, he knew that for sure. So therefore they needed to be dealt with before they sought out the rest. But to find them they needed bait, which they now had and had their eyes constantly on.

He sat in a car along with Evelyn and Nathan; this was a solo mission for just the three of them for the time being. Across the car park and in the diner sat Peter and Rickie, eating and talking, what about they didn't know obviously. "And that came from you two?" Sam wondered as he looked careful at Peter, studying everything about his appearance.

"Sorry if he's a disappointment." Nathan grumbled. Sure, Peter might have deserted then, but he was still their son nonetheless.

"He's the first in the family to ever have done this." Evelyn added. She sat in the passenger seat beside Sam.

"My father wouldn't have allowed it." Sam replied. "Had this been back in my time, he would have been killed for abandonment to the Ditori."

"This isn't one hundred years ago anymore." Evelyn snapped. "He's your family too remember, the next generation. If he gets hurt anymore then you've already done then things are finished between us."

Inside the diner, both Rickie and Peter couldn't believe the feeling that meal gave them. They were famished, they needed this. "So we're still agreed? We go and find the others?" Rickie asked to make sure. Peter nodded as he chewed his last bite.

"Mmm hmm, we need to warn them." He answered.

"But where did they go? We have no idea."

"That girl said Alaska; I say we catch the nearest flight and head up there and find her parents. Maybe they know something."

"Who even is that girl? How come you know her?"

"She's been following us around for a little while. She's got to be a teleport or something. She knows us somehow; she knows things and has been leading us the right way so far. I say we give her another shot and keep going with what she says."

"Alaska's a big place, how do we find them?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure she'll find us again and let us know."

The times Jonah regained consciousness for a brief second or two, he was being moved. First, he was being dragged through the snow, leaving drag marks in his wake. The second time, he was being lifted in the air a few feet, feeling his was lying on something soft. He heard a girl's groan and grunt as his limp body was hoisted onto that soft thing. Next, he was floating in the air, but of course he knew he was being carried on something. Where was this thing taking him?

The night was cold, and it was a freezing cold gust of wind that swept over him that woke Jonah up. His head throbbed; his vision was still blurred over with a layer of fuzziness and sleep, all normal anyway to be honest. But wait, he was alive! Through that blur, an orange flame lit the…where were they? There was a fire, so was this a human's make shift home? If so, then what as that giant mass he could see sitting just outside? Was someone guarding him? He had to get out before someone noticed. He failed epically, the pain in his head was that of a caribou kick and it hurt, a lot! The mass heard him and soon it was towering over him and gently pushing him back down. Not with force, but to keep him down. "Shh…" It soothed, a female voice. "Relax; you're going to be fine."

"What…Where am I?" He mumbled.

"You're safe, don't worry, I'm going to take care of you." She gently lifted something off his head, revealing underneath a slightly swollen, but healing cut. "You hit your head. Why were you running after me?" She asked.

"You're the…" Man he was tired, it was hard to get his words out.

"I'm the what?" She giggled. He shook his head, he was being stupid. He knew he was chasing something, but she clearly was a Dire Wolf, just a very helpful, ordinary wolf.

"It…doesn't matter." He replied. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." He saw her teeth, hopefully she was smiling. He lay on his side; she was sitting beside him and looking over his head. "You're going to have a headache for a little while." She concluded as she finished checking him over. "It's clean and you'll be fine." He took the chance while she stepped out the way to look around now that his vision was clearer. There was indeed a fire in the middle of the place they were in. But that was good; it was keeping them both warm. Looking at the wall where his head was, it was earth, as was the wall his back was against, so it had to be a sudden drop or something. Above him, it looked to be a fallen tree that had dropped and was now acting as shelter for them now. There wasn't an awful lot of room here, but enough to stay warm and sheltered from the near blizzard going on outside. "You're friends a few miles south of here." She suddenly continued. "I brought them some food and told them you were safe. When you're well enough I'll take you to them."

"What are you doing all the way out here anyway?" He asked, his voice returning after a moment of trying to gather it back together.

"I was hanging around, just enjoying the evening before the storm hit when I heard you shouting." Man he was embarrassed, he thought it was just his imagination that made him felt that someone was listening. Clearly not. "Why were you?" Great, now he remembers again. The pain in his head was now a too miniscule to feel compared to the feelings in his chest now. Why? Why did this have to come back? He had to get rid of it again. He brought his paws underneath him and groaned as he pushed himself up. Upon slipping, she suddenly wrapped her paws around him and caught him to help him sit up. "Take it easy, nobody's going anywhere tonight."

Her paws, they were huge. His eyes travelled alone her fore leg in wonder. They set on her black furred chest for a moment, wondering if he should dare to look up. He did, looking up higher then he should and his jaws dropping as he looked UP into her green eyes. She was big, bigger then she should be. A normal she-wolf is a little shorter then a male, yet this girl were a good ten inches taller. No…could it be? "You're…"

"I'm…" She waited for him to finished, her paws still holding onto his sides. Her size was daunting, yet it wasn't as big as he thought it would be. He heard Dire Wolves were as tall as humans, was this some strange combination of both Dire Wolf and normal wolf genes? "Wow, you sure hit your head pretty hard didn't you?! She then laughed and letting him go. He was wobbly at first, but he soon regained his balance. He watched her walk away and around the fire. She was longer; she was taller, leaner and more muscular then any normal wolf.

"You're a Dire Wolf." He muttered. But she heard. She remained standing with her nose just poking outside the den, but her ears flattened a little bit and her head also dipped slightly. She gritted her teeth, seething in anger a little. "I knew it." He could see her clearly now. Not only did she had black fur all over her body, but a thin layer of sliver also across her body like that of an elder wolf. Only this was natural of course.

"A Dire Wolf?" She giggled sheepishly and turning around to face him. "I'm two years old, not three thousand!" Her body went into that of nervousness.

"I knew you were still here!" He grinned and getting to his paws, pulling off the large leaf on his head and dropping it into the flames. "This is incredible, so you guys aren't extinct."

This guy was persistent, but she couldn't let on. "Look, I think you should just…"

"So how are you still here?" Jonah couldn't believe what his eyes were set on. "What? One of those bracelets that stops you from growing up or something?" Her eyes widened.

"How do you…" She stopped herself from speaking and giving away too much. How did he know about that? How would any wolf know about the bracelets?

Jonah's eyes looked down to her right forepaw where a sliver ring of steel curved tightly around her wrist. On it were engraved symbols and untranslatable words. Proof. She saw what he was looking at and it didn't help her case. She groaned and covered it a little and as best she could with her other paw. He now saw desperation in her eyes; she wanted him to shut up. But he didn't.

"How old are you?" He asked now more curiously. Her ears dropped far more then they did before, her body now contorting in that of nervousness and discomfort of the situation.

"Two…" She muttered. She was being honest, he could see that.

"How long have you been two?" He then asked. She didn't want to say it; she didn't want to say anything. She regretted bringing him back here with her. Why couldn't he just be quiet seeing as he could quite visibly see she didn't want to talk about this?

"For a while."

The next day, Aquila sat worried outside their makeshift den she and Tarka spent the night in. Jonah never came back, she was terrified for him. Tarka could understand, they were best friends, so it was understandable why she was scared for his sake. But the rabbits, that note, who left it? Someone had him and said he was safe. Or so that person says. What if COWEL had him? What if it was a lie and right now he's in serious trouble and in unimaginable pain? The storm from last night had cleared, the sun's light shone down through the clear skies onto the fresh layer of snow the storm had left behind. As predicted, Aquila hardly slept. Sure she was warm enough through sharing Tarka's body heat, so it wasn't the cold, it was all about Jonah.

She yawned as her eyes sleepily scanned the forest surroundings and her ears perked for any sounds that could be him coming back. She was up first; wanting to be awake should he come back. Tarka lay in the snow by the entrance to the den. They had a plan; they'd wait two more hours max before carrying on without him. Either they'd come across him at some point or he'd find them. Either way, Tarka promised her they'd find him this day. Or maybe not…

Her ears flinched to a sound and her eyes locked on a figure moving towards them, trudging slowly through the snow. She grinned ear to ear and jumped to her paws faster then ever before. "Tarka, it's Jonah. He's back!" She screamed as darted through the snow, ploughing through it and refusing to let it stop her. A second wolf was right behind him, but he didn't care about that now. He smiled just as wide as she neared, catching her as she leapt and crashed into him and standing over him.

"I'm ok, I'm ok!" He laughed. She buried her face into his neck.

"I was so worried, where were you?" She then saw the sate of his head after her paw brushed alongside it. "Oh my gosh, what happened?" She asked while stepping off him and looking it over.

"I hit my head." He chuckled. "Don't worry about it, I'll be fine." But this also reminded him of thing. Or better yet, someone! He crawled to his paws and looked behind him. "Guess what I found." He smirked. Her face however wasn't every happy. If anything she was angry, she felt like some pet being dragged along to this. Aquila narrowed her eyes. Who was this girl? Why was she so huge?

"Guys, I'd like you to meet…" Jonah never got a chance to finish, not until she saw Tarka approaching and her own eyes widened after seeing him.

"Faolan?" She asked. Tarka froze and looked directly at her. She stepped forwards, stepping passed Aquila and shoving her out the way a little in the process. Tarka looked behind him, but she was indeed talking to him.

"Me?" He asked and holding his paw to his chest.

"Faolan, it's me, Natali, your sister?" She replied as if it was obvious. Nobody understood, what was she talking about? "I know mom and dad said I was a little taller, but I didn't think and I don't remember you being that small." She giggled as she stood right in front of him.

"Faolan?" Tarka questioned. "As in…Dire Wolf, mated to Lupa Starnik, Faolan?"

He was being serious; he didn't understand anything she was talking about. Her face began to drop as she came to see that this wasn't him. It was her being stupid. She knew Faolan was dead; he gave his life to his mate and died along with the rest of his family. She nodded a she sighed loudly and lowered her head. She had her hoped way too high. "Yeah, sorry, you look an awful lot like him."

"Well, we are related." He then added, her hopes rising ever so slightly and making her lift her head again out of curiosity.

"What?" She asked with some hope in her smile, something he returned with his own and an answer.

"He's my many greats grandfather."

"So you're a Starnik too? Like Jonah?"

"My eyes change if that's what you mean." He chuckled.

"So you're…wow, you look so much like him." She gasped in awe and wonder and taking in his appearance. "I mean it, other then the height; you're like his identical twin." Her brother's genes were strong it seems, very strong if they came out like this in Tarka. It was remarkable, so much of Faolan and very little of Lupa. Her nephew, little Shane, Faolan's son, he was the first look-a-like to him. Doppelgangers, they were a funny group of genes that seemed to run an awful lot in the Starnik family. But it was incredible to say the least. "Sorry for staring, I'm just imagining I'm looking at him again." She couldn't help but let a tear of joy slide down his cheek, which she quickly caught before it fell.

"Well, I'm sorry to break this up guys…" Jonah had to interrupt; they still had things to do. Even if this was a nice thing going on here, they had to keep moving before COWEL caught up. "We still have things to do remember?"

"Right…sorry about all that." Natali sniffed and giggled a little embarrassed for getting like this. "I've already told Jonah, I can't take you back to the temple, the master would kill me."

"Temple? Like the same place the Starnik lived?" Tarka asked.

"Yeah, that's where the rest of us are, there's only four of us that can get in and out, out of over thirty of us. It's the rules."

"But we need to go there." Jonah insisted. "We've got to find something that belonged to Lupa Starnik that is up here."

"It wouldn't matter." Natali shook her head. "There's nothing we have that belonged to Lupa or any of the Starnik for that matter."

"Are you kidding?" Aquila nearly exclaimed. "We came all this way for nothing?"

"I'm afraid so." She sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry; but we have nothing that can help you." She was being sincere, they really did have nothing left of the Starnik.

"What about of Faolan's?" Tarka then asked. "Did he leave anything behind?" She thought for a moment, her eyes looking up to the sky subconsciously as she thought long and hard.

"There's his old Kanuk." She wondered. "His old spell and potions book."

"No, that can't be it." Jonah shook his head. "It doesn't sound connected to Lupa in any way."

"Is there anything else?" Aquila then asked.

"Well…" She started, wondering if it could be something else. "There's also this." She then presented her right fore paw with the silver steel tightly coiled around it. It really was tight, for a very good reason. "This was his immortality bracelet the master gave to him for his coming of age ceremony. Everyone in the pack gets one the day they turn two or shortly after. I kept this one and asked to use it as my own."

"It looks really tight." Tarka said as they all took a closer look at the inscriptions engraved into it with great skill.

"Tell me about it." She laughed a little. "It's all Faolan's fault. After he gave it back to the Shaman and left us, the shaman had all the others tightened so they couldn't do the same. Only he and his apprentice have the power to loosen them and take them off us now should the need ever arise."

"This has to be it Jonah." Aquila nudged him.

"How? I don't get it." He replied.

"I can see how too." Tarka added. "Think about it, the day Faolan threw this in, he gave his life to Lupa. This has everything to do with her. It was her that made him give it in and leave the Dire Wolves in the first place. From then on, everything he had was hers; they became one after they got married. He gave her his heart and everything that was his."

"If she hadn't done anything, then he'd still be in the pack." Aquila continued. "The day he turn that in was the day he gave his heart to her. Jonah, this is the closest thing we have, just try it." He nodded.

"Step back." He replied, so both she and Tarka did. Natali kept her paw up, waiting to see what they were talking about. What was he going to do? Jonah raised his, realising something as he neared his paw but let it hover just above it. He needed to touch the bracelet, but the bracelet was against her skin. Do the math. He'd touch the bracelet and her as a result, putting her in the same sate he put Aquila in the first time he touched her. This was the part of his power he dreaded, being unable to touch the ones trying to help him without hurting them. He looked up into her eyes, a very apologetic look in his eyes. "I'm sorry." She never got the chance to ask what about before he clasped her wrist and bracelet. Her eyes widened and his closed as he embraced the white light. Natali's legs turned to jelly and the collapsed with a squeal of surprise. Jonah knew the drill, he'd open his eyes and he'd be confronted by Lupa. Well, that was the thought anyway.

He opened his eyes, to find Natali wincing on the floor and both Aquila and Tarka standing around and moving. "Huh?" He didn't understand. He grabbed Natali's wrist and bracelet again and let go, continuing to look down at it and to wait. Nothing happened. Time didn't freeze and everyone was still hanging around. He tried and tried again; touch and letting go of her wrist until Natali grew fed and smacked his paw away with a feeble growl. "It's not working." He was just as bewildered as everyone else. This maybe just the second time he's done this to someone, but it wasn't nice to do.

"What are you doing differently?" Tarka asked.

"Nothing, I never had to do anything the other times." He snapped back to him. Why was this not working? "I'm sorry." He apologised to Natali as she still writhed on the floor. She looked up to him out the corner of her eyes, angry, but forgiving. She nodded, too weak to speak.

"Because you got it wrong." Someone suddenly said, another female voice. All but Natali whirled around, Aquila jumping in freight as she leapt away from the voice right behind her. Another she-wolf sat there, a grin on her face from the amusement. "Now I understand what it's like doing it on this end." She then giggled. "The years of my grandma doing it, now I know the feeling." She then looked up to the sky. "I know the feeling now grandma!" She shouted.

"Oh my…Lupa." Natali groaned, gritting her teeth tightly as she tried to roll over to bow before her. This was not just a simple spirit here; she had to remember who this really was. This was not just a daughter of the Starnik, but also the great and powerful Earth Angel, the one with the powers to rule heaven and earth if she so wished. She was supposed to be the wolf god, to take his place, but instead she took to the body of a spirit. Natali tried to bow, but she just couldn't do it. In the blink of an eye, Lupa was suddenly gone. Where did she go?

"Shh…it's ok." She was then suddenly beside Natali, her front half lowered to her head and speaking words of comfort to her. "What did I tell you, never bow to me, ok?"

"It's a force of habit." She tried to laugh, but it hurt if anything.

"Come on now." She then smiled and placing her paw on her head. "Up you get, you'll be fine." A wave of strength washed over her, a rejuvenation of energy flowing through he muscles and bones as Lupa stepped back. Within a few moments, she felt as good as new other then the heavy head feeling. "Just take it easy." She continued to insist before looking to Jonah. "Now, where were we?"

"What happened?" Jonah asked. "Why didn't everything freeze like the other times?"

"Because you got the artefact wrong." She replied as she helped Natali up. "I never had any possessions, I never left anything behind for you to find. But you have come to right place at the right time for me to come myself for all of you to see."

"So wait…everything Jonah's been seeing was real?" Tarka was gob-smacked, he felt so stupid for not believing it.

"I also came as proof." She nodded and smiling at her mate's doppelganger. "You need to have some faith in your family, the same faith I once had in my brother when it was just us in the family against the world and I needed someone to talk to." Now he felt bad.

"So if we got the artefact wrong, how are you still here?" Jonah repeated, she never answered the question.

"Because I never died in the first place." She replied as made sure Natali was standing straight and had her balance before letting her go.

"You never died?" Aquila questioned. "Then how did you end up there?"

"Because I died well before the rest of my family did." She answered. "I died the night the Ditori were supposed to have fallen. It was that night that I became the Earthbound Angel and was supposed to take the title as god."

"So why didn't you?" Tarka then asked.

"Because I didn't want it." She replied honestly. "I don't want power and never did. I always hated it when I had to use any other power then my shield or command anyone. As a price, I came back with no heartbeat and no life. I don't bleed, I don't eat or drink and I don't have any temperature. But most of all, I never aged." Her head lowered a little as she thought of it. "My children, being half of me, were born half-deceased, with a lower heart beat, breathing rate and body temperature then normal. My mate, we struggled towards the end." She found it hard to talk about this. "He aged, I didn't. I stayed young while he grew old and slowly died. It tested our love, how far we would go before something snapped. I couldn't make him better, so I vowed when death came for him I would go with him, even if it meant leaving my family behind."

"It can't have been easy." Aquila replied.

"In our family, nothing's ever easy." She laughed a little bit. "We worked things out, agreeing that nothing would come between us in life or death."

"I still remember that day." Natali added. "The day he died and you went with him."

"I don't blame you, even with that thing on." She giggled again. "But everything's fine now, we can all be happy up there now."

"Nothing's fine." Jonah quickly added. "COWEL are trying to kill us along with the person you were supposed to have killed, I can't touch anyone without hurting them and you've all so far been leading us on a wild goose chase without giving me a straight answer." He was getting a little angry, so why did Lupa just stand there and smile when he was practically shouting at her. "You've proved to me and everyone else that I'm not crazy, so thank you for that." He was honest about that part. "But what I really need is for you to tell me how I'm supposed to kill someone who can't die."

"We've told you each time." She answered.

"Don't…you…dare." He actually snarled at her, taking each one of them by surprise. Natali couldn't believe he was bearing his teeth at her. But still, Lupa just stood and smiled. "Don't you dare tell me you've been telling me this whole time." He thought back to last night. If they've been watching him all this time then he was sure that they had heard him. "You haven't told me anything. You talk about my power, you talk about what I can do with it and that I'm stronger then I think. That's not saying anything. All its saying is that there's something you know about it which you're not telling me. That there's a way I can stop Sam. So please…just tell me." He finished begging, he was more desperate then ever now.

"You know the answer." She responded. "You've seen it, you've done it before, all you need to do is notice it and do it again." He's done it before, what was she talking about? "There's one more place you must go now, one more destination that you need to go to." She then continued onto another subject. "There, you'll need to be prepared, because that's where you'll face Sam and discover the true power of our family. Be careful, look at what's around you, feel what's around you and use it. Make a sacrifice or two, be prepared to do whatever means necessary, make peace and go forth to complete what has to be done." She's speaking in riddles, just like the rest of them had done. She wasn't making any sense and Jonah was expecting what she was about to do next. "Good luck Jonah, have faith, because you have everything you need to do this." And then she faded away.

**There we go, a longer chapter here guys, I hope you enjoy it. It's going on longer then I wanted it to be, I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing though. haha. Until Next Time. :D**

**The FalconWolf**


	23. Chapter 23 Confirmation

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 23: Confirmation

Was there a way to kill something that was already dead? Jonah was wondering that ever since Lupa faded away like all the others and leaving him with unanswered and far more questions then he had to begin with. It wasn't fair, why speak in riddles? Why not give him a straight answer? Something like _"Cut of his head."_ was far better then the answers they've all given him. _"You have the power to do it"_ or _"You have everything you need."_ All he has is the power to track any supernatural and take their powers and anyone else's energy. This was fucking bullshit! This was now at the stage where pretty much as soon as Lupa left, Jonah needed time to himself before he killed someone. Aquila wanted to be there, to help him understand maybe there was something he missed out. But no, he stormed away before he stole her power and did something he'd regret with it later.

Running, that's all he wanted to do. It seemed to help, it gave his heart a reason to beat faster then out of fury. Was there something he missed? Was there an answered buried in those riddles they've been telling him? Was there a straight and obvious answer that he's been too blind to see? They were three of the hundreds of things running around in his head. He couldn't focus, how was he supposed to see how he was meant to do this when he couldn't see what was going on right in front of him? That being Aquila.

He now knew that feeling he had been getting each time he looked and thought about her. He refused it however; he refused to even consider it a possibility. It was disgusting; it was wrong most of all, how could this have happened? Ever since that kiss, it never went away, it's always been there. It was for survival, it was to hide, it meant nothing. NOTHING! So why did he feel that now? Maybe it wasn't what he thought it was, maybe it was regret, guilt for causing the slight awkwardness he knew had come between them; for making her come into heat through that stupid act that was for survival. But mostly, for making things like this now. This wasn't helping; he couldn't get her out of his head. All he could do was think about her, and it wasn't her heat making him think that. This was his heart talking, not his groin. But it wasn't fair that this happens now of all times. Before or after this, maybe it would more understandable and easily dealt with so it never happens again.

He must have run a marathon, he was in the middle of nowhere and had no idea which way he came from and how far he had run. But it helped; running was his greatest weapon against anger. He used to run the entire way around San Francesco back when he lost it before all this happened, one whole lap. He began to settle the further he ran, but he still remembered. He felt less of the anger and rage towards his ancestors now, but it was still there. But mostly now, he was confused. Confused as to who on earth would be walking through the forest out here?

He began to slow down to a slight jog, his heart beating far beyond frantic and his breath steaming like a train as his eyes narrowed onto the human and wolf. All before suddenly widening again at who is was, and all that fury came thundering back as quickly as he was now sprinting once again.

"Wait, is that Jonah?" Rickie wondered after he heard something running up behind them. But before Peter could even turn around, Jonah leapt up onto his back with a feral snarl and angered cry. He wrapped his paws around his neck and face, his eyes pulsating both as the anger flowed through him and the contact his paws made on Peter's skin. This was the perfect opportunity to use his curse, to take down his enemy. Peter spun around, trying the throw Jonah off; only to find the more he fought the faster he was drained of energy and the faster he found he was on the floor and ready to fall asleep. But he didn't, he had just the right amount to stay awake, but he could hardly move, so Jonah flipped him over. "What are you doing here?!" He snarled in his face, his own body now rejuvenated from Peter's stolen energy. He felt he could run that marathon he just did all over again.

"Jonah just stop!" Rickie exclaimed and moving in to stop him. Jonah held up his paw, quickly freezing his cousin in his tracks.

"Stay back." He growled. "Or you'll be next." He warned. Rickie gulped, for the short time he's known Jonah, he's never seen him like this. He fearfully nodded and stayed put.

"Jonah…" Peter groaned and trying to roll Jonah off him. He looked back down to him, his eyes now glowing as a threat. "Please, let us explain."

"Explain what?" He snarled. "Please, I know everything."

"You really don't Jonah." Rickie dared to speak up. "Just let him explain."

"Explain what? That's he's the traitor?" He asked. "It can't have been you, they killed your god damn brother, so who else other then the human!"

"Just…please." Peter rasped and holding his hands up by his head. Man, this was horrible.

"You've got thirty seconds." Jonah then flexed his claws and held them over his throat. He then started to count down from thirty out loud, but he listened.

"It was me, ok? It was me; I used to be in COWEL."

"Twenty six…"

"I was raised there with them, my parents, they were COWEL, I never wanted that life."

"Nineteen…"

"I ran away before I was even seventeen, I was homeless when Henry found me." Jonah paused for a moment. "He helped me, he listened and helped me even though he knew who I was and what I did before." He then shook his head, growled and continued counting down.

"Fifteen…"

"He helped he find a good school, he helped me with my classes and get back on my own two feet and live away from them."

"Ten."

"My parents were the ones helping Sam; I don't want anything to do with them."

"Seven."

"Jonah just listen to him." Rickie pleaded. "He's telling the truth."

"I left because I didn't want that life, a life of running from people and killing. I never lead them to us, my mom has a power like yours, she can track people with an object that once belonged to them. She has one of my rings she once gave me, that's how she's been following us, that's how they've been there wherever we go. She's been following me with that ever since I left."

"Three."

"Look, if you don't believe me then go ahead." He took hold of Jonah's paw and held it one side of his neck. "Just don't be mad when Henry finds out. Tell him you were playing it safe and wanted us to be safe."

"Two." Now what was this feeling dwelling inside him?

"You're not a killer Jonah." Peter still continued and looking him straight in the eye. "You can give me that look all you want, but I know you well enough to say that you won't do this."

"You wanna bet?" Jonah seethed.

"I do." Peter replied a little hotly. "Save it for Sam, not me. I'm not your enemy and I never was. You're Lightening Girl lead us here to find someone and here we find you."

"She was with you?" He didn't understand now, why was she with them?

"She wanted us to come here. If one of us was with COWEL then we'd have gone in the other direction. So go ahead." Peter then released his paw, giving Jonah the freedom to slide his paw across his neck. "I won't stop you; just make sure you tell Henry that you were keeping us all safe."

Jonah never finished his countdown, he couldn't. He was a wolf, and all wolves have their well tuned instincts to guide them, and his were telling him Peter was speaking honestly. There was not a lie in the words escaping his lips or in his eyes. He was willing to die right here and now, and even Jonah knew he didn't have what it takes to kill. So he had to save it and build up the courage to do it.

His eyes lost their killer glint and he stepped off Peter who dropped his arms and groaned as the weight left him and he could relax. "Where did you go?" Jonah then asked.

"They took us." Rickie answered and coming to Peter's side to help him sit up. "They took us to some town and tortured us to find out where you went. They left us for a while before your Lightening Girl came and got us out."

"Your mom isn't going to be happy with me." He hung his head, Rickie only laughed gently.

"Don't worry about it, we'll all be fine."

"Sorry I zapped you." He then apologised to Peter.

"It's ok." He groaned as he pushed forwards and then sat back on his heels. "Just…please don't do it again."

"I don't think it works a second time." Jonah chuckled a little, the tension easing up between them a little now. "But maybe if I try hard enough it will."

"So where's Aquila? Is Tarka with you guys too?" Peter then asked.

"That's…a very good question." He laughed sheepishly and looking around the snowy forest around them. "I have no idea where they could be."

"What?" Rickie asked.

"I kinda left them; I got a little mad at something and ran."

"It's ok; we can follow your tracks back I'm sure." He smiled.

"Or…" Peter grunted as he reached into his left sock and pulled out a small vial. "We can use this."

"You still had that?" Rickie exclaimed. "We could have used that to get here faster rather then taking a plane!"

"It never came to mind." He chuckled.

Meanwhile, Tarka and Natali were having a good, long, family talk. Tarka was intrigued to know what Faolan was like, and if it was just genes that caused them to look so alike. It was fascinating to hear her stories. She told him how after he was banished from the pack, he snuck back in once to see her and get forgiveness from the pack. She grew close to Lupa as she grew up and Faolan continued to visit with his pups. She even remembers the times he came as a senior wolf, one of Myka Starnik's spell giving him a human's life span. She was eternally young, wearing the band that was once his to keep her this age while he had grey fur strands. He was even older then their parents which was both a funny and hard thing to see. She loved her brother so much, and she sometimes wished she had become the Sharman's apprentice so she could gain the powers to still see him. But no, she was an ordinary Dire Wolf.

He was curious as to how the band works. She explained the Sharman only made a select few those thousands of years ago, sacrificing his sight to make them. Using the blood of Myka Starnik, he was able to make a few more for pups that had been born at the same time she was when it was their time to be given one. They stopped everything inside the wearer. It stopped internal and external bodily changes, and lucky for her, it stopped just before she was due to come into her first season. So the girls never came into heat, nobody ate other then those that didn't wear at the time, they never had to drink, they could never conceive pups, they could mate without consequences, it was the price to pay for eternal life. Sure, she's had fun with a guy she's friends with, both of them having that fun when they agreed with it. They were comfortable with settling some needs around and with one another, but neither felt love to one another, just friendship, neither wanting more. It was an occurrence that happened once every few months. They both wanted as normal life as they could get, so that meant experiencing everything.

That part he didn't want to know about, but it made her laugh. He was amazing, one of her brother's creations sitting before her, same fur and eyes. It was indeed like looking at a smaller version of him. She didn't do all the talking however; she was intrigued to know what it was like to be a Starnik. So many people and wolves got this wrong, now and through history. He wasn't the Starnik, Jonah wasn't, nobody alive today, including Aria, was a Starnik. Scott and Rosie were the Starnik, not their children and nobody after them. He guessed it was just the name of their descendants now, "A Starnik". Even without powers, it made him feel good to consider it. "So nobody in your family has powers like them?" Natali asked curiously.

"Well…my mom used to always tell me that she knows everything I've been up to in a day." He chuckled jokingly, causing Natali to laugh as well.

"My mom used to say that too." She giggled loudly. "What mom doesn't know everything?"

"Speaking of family. What are your pack like with the Starnik now? Last I heard, they hated them." He asked then a little more seriously.

"Oh things are fine now. After Lupa came by and made it clear that they were to help them, who were they to disagree with something as strong as a god." She answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I was thinking, maybe I could come by and visit sometime." He wondered a little sheepishly of her answer. "Just to see what the family roots were like you know."

"Wow, I never thought of that!" She went wide eyes at the subject. "That would be awesome, my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great nephew coming over. I'm sure mom and dad would love that."

"What about the Sharman?"

"He'll be ok with it, as long as you can prove to him that is that you're a Starnik, we don't let in any wolf we want you know." She then giggled. "If you know what I mean." She then winked.

"Oh I get it." He chuckled back. She meant his eyes, if he could just flash them in front of him that he'd be granted permission to stay. The Starnik were now welcome in their home, they were allies now, not enemies. Tarka would have more of a welcome, being part Dire Wolf going back in the generations. He had family back there too. Aquila was being quiet, but then again she said she was going to take a nap in the den to wait for Jonah to calm down. But no, instead she was daring herself to do something.

Inside the snow den, she lay on her front with three piles of small snowballs. One in the middle, which she intended to divide. One on the right, standing for all the reasons to do it, then one on the left, the reasons not to. And the reason for this? Whether or not to tell Jonah. She never wanted to sleep, she intended on doing this. She had made forty snowballs and started with one big pile, but now they were separated. Only eleven still remained in the middle, with another eleven in the "reasons not to" pile…and an irritating eighteen in the "reason to" pile.

"Admittedly, he's rather cute." She then said after a moment, taking another snowball and placing it in the "reasons to", making the total now nineteen. "Then he's also great with kids." Now twenty. "But then again…" She took another and dragged it to the other pile. "He's never been in a serious relationship before, as far as I know anyway." She was hoping this pile would be a lot bigger, how wrong she was being. "But neither have I." She groaned and dragging another back to the other pile. She did that and immediately rolled onto her back, looking up to the den ceiling and began whining.

"Alright..." She gathered it together. "Come on Aquila, you're a big girl now. You can do it; it's just asking a boy out on a date. A boy that happens to be your best friend, that you tell everything too…that defiantly doesn't feel the same as you, oh god what am I doing?!" She whined and covering her face with her paws. "Ok…" She then said firmly and removing her paws. "Get it together. The next time you see him, you're going to ask him if he's ok with going on a date after all this is over. No turning around and no stopping. Make it a simple, friendly night out and then see how it goes from there. Easy, no sweat."

"What's no sweat?" She screamed in freight and rolled onto her front.

"Jonah?" She panted as her heart slowed down. "God you sacred me to death." She laughed as she walked up to him and wrapped her paws around him as he returned.

"Sorry, I didn't know what you were doing." He chuckled. He then looked behind her and noticed the piles. "What…were you doing though." Her eyes widened, how could she forget?!

"I was going to ambush Tarka, I got bored." She laughed nervously and letting him go. She looked back around to him, seeing him still stood there with a smile at the funny idea. _"Ok, this is it, it's now or never."_ "Jonah, I…kinda need to tell you something." She had no idea how this was going to turn out.

"Sure, what is it"? He then asked. She took a few deep breaths; He saw she was nervous about something. "Is it your heat?"

"No, it's not that. Everything's good with that." She laughed gently. "No, I need to ask you something."

"And what's that?"

"I…we, I was wondering, did you…" She struggled. This was so hard; all those mental pep-talks had gone to waste. "Did you…want to…go and keep moving?" She couldn't do it. "I'm sure we don't want COWEL or anyone else to catch up with us."

He somehow sensed that this wasn't what she wanted to say. But he also wasn't going to pressure her into confessing what it was about. For some even more ridiculous reason, he was hoping she'd talk about feelings, more so if she was feeling the same ones. But he nodded nether the less. "Sure, I was just about to say that." He replied. "Oh, and I've got a little surprise for you too."

"For me?" She wondered, her eyes lighting up a little bit. _"A bed covered in roses?"_ She mentally giggled.

"Well, it's not really a surprise." He chuckle while he lead her up and back out the tunnel.

They emerged back into the light, clenching their eyes a little from the sun reflecting off the snow and wondering what the smell of slight burning was. "Rickie? Peter! Wow, it's great to see you're ok!" Aquila said honestly happily. "What happened?"

"Everything's ok." Jonah replied. "I found them while I was out there."

"Yeah, don't remind me." Peter replied and clutching his stomach, one of the after effects of Jonah's touch. Aquila tilted her head towards him, what was he doing? "Don't ask." He shook his head. "Just know that I now know how you felt when Jonah touched you."

"What happened out here?" Jonah then asked looking to the scorch mark on the floor. It melted away the snow around it, revealing the dirt and mud underneath it eight inches deep.

"Layvah mito." Natali mumbled as she stared at the spot in marvel of what she saw, to untranslatable words nobody here would understand.

"She means your girl just came." Tarka added with a slight laugh.

"My girl?" Jonah asked back.

"The Lightening Girl. That's what she means."

"She was here?" Aquila questioned. "What did she say?"

"That we need to head back south, to Idaho." Peter answered. "And from what I know about your family, there's only one thing in Idaho she could be talking about."

**And that place is...rather obvious. But I won't say it, just in case. ;) So things are ok between the group, Aquila is certain about her feelings and Jonah is still fighting them. Layvah Mito, remember that! While on that topic, can anyone guess what language I've been using as the Dire Wolf language? *hint* It's the easiest to learn. ;) I'll admit now, there's probably at least five chapters to go until this is finished. I'm already getting emotional, the Starnik Series are my babies and now they're all grown up! I need to go cry... *sniffs* Until Next Time!**

**The FalconWolf**


	24. Chapter 24 The Choices We Make

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 24: The Choices We Make

The Temple of the Starnik, that had to be it. That was the only place in Idaho that had a connection to the Starnik. Rickie envied it, it was the place he found his brother lying in a puddle of his own blood, he never wished to return there. Yet it was their next task to find, the biggest Starnik connection there was. Now Jonah began to fear it more then ever, the realisation that his time was coming, his time to fulfil what his ancestors wanted him, to kill Sam. There was one last place to go, Lupa said Sam would be there and Jonah had to kill him there and then. But how? Zap him to death like he did with Aquila and Peter? How do you kill an immortal with that kind of power? It couldn't be done. How do you kill an immortal without getting shot first? He wouldn't be alone, that much was for certain, he'd have backup, the whole of COWEL behind him. One against over one hundred, things weren't looking great.

"Idaho?" Nathan questioned. Sneaky, that's what they were being. He, Evelyn and Sam, along with a few other who kept back for the time being, had managed to follow both Peter and Rickie to this wasteland of nothing but snow and trees. Sam marvelled at this day's modern technology. The Ditori back in the day had more high tech devises and computers, but this was brilliant. On a cell-phone they were able to link in and listen to everything they had to say. They never even knew, it was so clever.

They sat well back, the group they had been tracking apparently twenty miles into the forest from the bar they sat in. They didn't want to follow them in; there would be a lack of cover out there so they'd simply wait for them to come back. Hearing Nathan and what they were speaking of, Sam sighed and grinned while leaning back in his chair. This was turning to be amusing now. "Something tells me you know what's out there."

"The Starnik Temple." He chuckled. "It's the place I was resurrected by that stupid Starnik wolf."

"This is big; I didn't know they had a temple."

"No-one alive today while." Sam replied. "I went there once before I died, I'll admit it's pretty incredible." He added before taking a sip of the beer in his hand.

"So what now? We follow them there?" Evelyn asked. He shook his head and swallowed.

"No, we go there right now and set everything up." He replied. "We're one step ahead of them now, so we'll use that to our advantage."

He didn't want to take anyone else, this was Jonah's task, not Peter's or Rickie's or Aquila's, his! Whatever it was he had that he could use against Sam, it was him alone, nobody else was told to go with him. He just needed to find a way of making sure they didn't come with him. He could sneak away, but Tarka was sure to find him with his tracking skills. He hated it, but he was sure his only plan left was to zap each of them again, making sure they stayed put long enough for him to get away. But they were his friends; he wasn't sure if he could bring himself around to do that and still have the courage to then kill someone. Life wasn't being very fair right now to him.

So, what was the plan now? Same as always, make it up as they go along. So far, that consisted of saying their goodbyes to Natali. Tarka was glad to have met her and couldn't wait to return again. She promised to let the shaman of the pack know of his existence and possible return, she knew for a fact that her parents would be thrilled to see him and Faolan's genes in him. She just knew that his presence in the temple would bring great things, and his stories of his family would be great to hear. He was pretty certain of the same thing too, hearing about his family roots from Natali's parents, his ancestors.

After all that, how to get to Idaho and if they were being followed at all. As horrible as it was, Peter and Rickie both shared their stories as to what happened to them after they all split from the Starnik den. They were tortured by Sam and his buddies for information. What they were looking for? Where Jonah and Aquila went? Why they were running around the county? Anything they could get their grubby hands on and use against them. They refused to tell them anything, so they escaped within an inch of their lives. Rescued by that Lightening Girl, "Layvah Mito" as Natali said in her Dire Wolf tongue, through the act of humiliation that was through the unlocked door! They tried the window; they tried everything to get out and even tried extreme things to get out, which of course they didn't share with them, they agreed never to speak of it again. So all of that, all that embarrassment, just to find the front door was still unlocked!

They had to leave Alaska, but both Peter and Rickie needed to seek someone out. That she-wolf said they needed to find her parents, that they'd be able to help them somehow. Here's the next "but", where do they look? They had a plan however; Peter was clever enough to book two extra tickets on a flight tomorrow back to Kalispell. The way it would work from there on was that Peter and Rickie would look around these forests for as long as they could before meeting up with Jonah, Tarka and Aquila back in town at a hotel they had booked into. So that's what they did, the human and Rickie had more of an Idea of what to look for, so they continued into the night while the others when in the comforts of the hotel.

"Anything?" Tarka asked. The three were sat in their room, waiting on Rickie and Peter to return before going to sleep. So in that meantime, Jonah used the time wisely to scan around for their pursuers. He was zoned out completely as he sat on the chair in the corner of the room, Tarka on one bed and Aquila sitting on the floor before Jonah.

"Shush!" She seethed. "He needs to concentrate, don't distract him." She said quietly.

"He seems pretty out of it to me." He then chuckled. Jonah's eyes were closed, yet when they flickered open every now and then, they could see his iris's shining underneath. "You know, I may not seem it, but I'm kinda jealous of him."

"Why's that?" She asked while walking away and towards Tarka. If they were going to talk then it was best if she wasn't standing before Jonah while he needed silence.

"He's probably the first in one hundred years to have powers in our family. Other then Rickie's brother, he's got to be the only one." Aquila just giggled.

"I can see now. But believe me; you're not missing out on much."

"Say's the supernatural wolf." He chuckled himself.

It was then front door opened, a little too loudly as Jonah gasped and snapped his eyes open as Rickie and Peter walked in. Aquila heard him and was by his side in a heart beat. "Anything?" She asked. He hated it, and she did also when he nodded.

"They're on the other side of town." He answered. "They aren't far away, but I don't think they know where we are."

"Who's that?" Peter asked as he shook off the snow from his coat and kicked off his boot.

"You're mom." Jonah answered. "That's who." Instantly after hearing that, he growled to himself and threw his coat at the wall in frustration.

"She's got my ring god damn it!" He then punched the wall, he had anger he needed to vent. "If she's got that then she knows where we are."

"Then we've got to keep moving." Tarka then said after a brief moment of silence. "If she's hear then so will Sam and everyone else." Nobody said anything, neither did they add anything. This was Peter's family, so what was his decision? He didn't have one; all he could think of was get away. That's all he's ever done his whole life, run and hope they never find him. It was a stupid idea, but the only he ever had.

"No." Jonah said after now a longer moment of silence. All eyes quickly and immediately fell on him. "We're going to go, but you're going to stay and deal with them."

"What?" Peter nearly exclaimed. Did he really just hear that? "My parents are murderers, my own mother tried to shoot me back at the funeral."

"She stopped them back when they were beating us." Rickie added. "There's some good in her and your dad."

"Are you asking me to kill my own parents?" Peter then seethed.

"You did try and run her over with a car." Aquila added.

"Kill them, keep them away, distract them, I don't care! They're your family, you need to get them away from Sam or else I'll kill them along with him."

"I can't fight them Jonah." He shook his head and spoke sincerely. "I may hate them beyond belief, but I can't do that."

"You don't have to, because Tarka will help you." His eyes widened.

"What? Are you kidding?" Tarka exclaimed.

"I need you to go with Peter and deal with his parents. You guys keep them distracted and away from Sam while Rickie, Aquila and I go and find the Temple."

"Wait, how's this fair?" Rickie then added finding this just as unfair as the rest.

"You've been there before; you know how to get there. I need you to take us there and then I'll need Aquila's power. After that you guys need to get away and let me deal with Sam."

"I'm not letting you do this on your own!" Aquila decided there to voice her opinion. "You get my power for, what, ten minutes? What happens after that? What would you do without me to power you up again?" This was backfiring on him terribly.

"Look, its nothing personal guys." Jonah then said and jumping off the chair. "But this is all on me. I thank you all for coming with me and helping me do this, but I need to finish this, I can't let you get hurt more then you already have because I dragged you all for this.

"I was the only one you dragged along in this trip Jonah." Aquila said.

"I had a promise to keep." Peter responded.

"I thought it would be fun." Tarka added.

"I wanted revenge." Rickie also said.

"I don't care why you came." Jonah replied to them all sat, stood and lying around him. "But I do care about what happens to you. So that's why we're going to what I've said. It's safer for us all that way and we'll achieve more." He then walked up to Rickie who sat beside one of the bed. "Rickie, I spoke to your brother shortly after the funeral, I somehow absorbed his spiritual energy and spoke to him. He's so proud of you and happy where he is. Don't let him down." He then looked left and onto the bed where Tarka lay on his front. "Tarka, I know we had a rocky start. But thank you for coming all this way and helping us with everything." Next, he turned around and faced Aquila. "We're best friends, do I need to say anything else."

"Nothing at all." She smiled. The lastly, he walked right up to Peter who leaned against the wall.

"Peter, I'm just sorry for everything I did and said to you. And for everything I'm about to do." He finished sighing. What was he talking about?

"Sorry for what?" He asked back.

"For this." Suddenly, Jonah grabbed his ankle underneath his trousers and focused his all on Peter. This wouldn't have worked normally seeing as he already did this to him once before, so this was an experiment. An experiment that worked. His eyes pulsated and his paw squeezed a little bit hard as it affected Peter. His legs immediately turned to jelly.

"Oh fuck!" He muttered before he collapsed and lay in a heap on the floor. But Jonah didn't let go, he didn't until he was sure that Peter wasn't going to get up for another few hours, so passed the point where he passed out. It was then that he let go and then turned around to the shocked faces of everyone else.

"Tarka, stay here and help him deal with his family. Aquila, Rickie, we're leaving right now."

"Jonah, you can't be…" Tarka only managed to jump off the bed and stop before he was an inch from Jonah's paw right in his face.

"Don't make me do this to you too." He warned. "Because I will." He was honest, and Tarka gulped as a wash of fear swept over him. The little time he's known Jonah he's never seen him like this. It was like he was possessed, and Aquila would agree, she never she seen him like this. He nodded and stepped back. "Guys, let's go."

"But our flight's not until tomorrow." Rickie began to protest as Jonah stepped over Peter's unconscious body and opened the door.

"Then we'll wait until it comes. Now let's go." He then stepped around the corner without even one look back and walked down the corridor. There was silence in the room now made of shock and fear. Rickie looked to Aquila and Tarka before gulping and following him out after a while before a rather reluctant Aquila then did, but not before Tarka stopped her.

"You're going with him?" He gritted his teeth. "He's gone crazy."

"So he needs me to be there for him." She replied and shaking off his paw.

"He's going to get you killed, you know that right. That's not Jonah anymore."

"This is just getting to him, after all this is over everything will go back to normal." She went to walk out again, but once again he stopped her.

"I can't let you go Aquila." He said, looking her right in the eye. "I'm sorry, but I can't, I care about you if you haven't already noticed."

She knew, she noticed that the moment she saw his eyes lay on her. The flirty comments, the jokes, the connection they seemed to have, their intimate moment, it was clear as the Caribbean Sea. His paw rested beside her shoulder, his eyes pleading she doesn't go. "I'm sorry." She shook her head. "But I told you, there's…someone else."

"I know, but…" That look in her eye, that watery moment. Piecing it together along with her behaviour lately, that realisation quickly hit. "Wait…It's him isn't it, it's Jonah."

"Look, I didn't want it either. But he's not being himself." He knew it! "I don't care how things turn out; I just want my friend to get home to his family safe and sound and to have his life back." Tarka then hung his head a little, his hope now shattered. "But thank you, you've been nice to me." She lifted his head. "Be happy Tarka, there's someone out there for you, I know it." He didn't expect it, but it happened again. She kissed him and he pushed back a little during the short kiss, even placing his paw in the back of her head to hold her there before she pulled away. "I'll be seeing you soon."

**Sorry guys, I've had a bit of a writers block lately and it was also my birthday on Friday, so writing this has been a little hard. It's a short chapter, but that means there can be more later on. Until Next Time! :)**

**As the for the guest who posted as a review about another story idea. As amazing as i'm sure it'll be, but I don't right those kinds of stories. I have no problem with them, but I don't write them because I don't write stories about pairings. Sorry mate, but It's just not my thing. Thanks for the review though. :D**

**The FalconWolf**


	25. Chapter 25 The Hurtful Truth

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 25: The Hurtful Truth

He'd have to pay for it, but that was the least of his concerns. So he threw that wooden stool across the room and into the wall out of anger, unleashing a larger angered cry after hearing further bad news. "You've been out for nearly a whole day. We missed the flight." How could Peter have let this happen? Jonah did it again, going beyond what he did last time. His body ached badly, but that was too miniscule to feel compared to the emotions running through him. It was closing in on the next night after Jonah did the unthinkable and left with Aquila and Rickie, Tarka was beginning to wonder if he would ever wake up. The task of trying to get him back into the bed on his own, it was an incredibly tough feat, but he pulled it off. Now the next task was explaining why Jonah did it and to try and keep the human calm.

It wasn't working, to put it easy. Peter just wanted to throw something else either across the room or out the window, but he knew he'd have to pay for that too. So he tried to control it. He wanted to go with them, he wanted to help them, but now he was stuck here with Tarka who had mutual feelings, he was just able to vent them out before Peter woke up. "They can't do this." Peter growled as he spun around.

"They already did." Tarka sighed. He was just as mad that he was no longer a part of their trip. They were alone now with their own task.

"So what now? We find our own way home?"

"We do what Jonah asked before we leave." Tarka replied. "We deal with your parents."

"They'd have left by now." He replied hotly, the anger of what happened still present. But now, it was time for a smile to appear on the wolf's face.

"I already took the privilege of going to the hotel Jonah's sensed them, they're still there strangely." He finished with a puzzled face, Peter looked no different. Why would they still be there? Surely they'd have left if they knew Jonah had moved on. But then again, it was Peter's ring they had, so wherever he went, they wouldn't be far behind. They were tracking him, not the others. So technically, he and Tarka were in more danger then the others. Peter knew this, and made sure Tarka understood why they were. "So does that mean they're going the wrong way?" He then asked. "Because if they're here then so will Sam."

"Jonah said that Lupa Starnik told them they would meet Sam in Idaho, maybe they'll beat him there and plan something."

"So how do you plan on getting close enough without that devil catching us?"

"Sneaky, being real sneaky."

It was dawn when Evelyn and Nathan returned to their room for the night, a mixture of emotions running around their bodies inside and out. They didn't know what to do; they didn't know if they made the right decision. So it was acceptable to act how they were now. Glum, tired, confused and even upset. Everything they had worked so hard for had gone to a whole new and wrong level. What Sam brought to COWEL was wrong, and they seemed to be the only ones who saw it. Nobody else agreed with them, everyone else was with him, not them, their own leaders! They ran this part of COWEL, not Sam. He was an accessory to their plans, Evelyn's ancestor; it wasn't the other way around! "Hey babe…" Nathan said after they walked through the door. "Did you leave it unlocked?" The lock, he found it was unlocked.

"I presumed you just opened it." He just shook his head as a response. "It has to be housekeeping, don't worry about it." The room was dark. "Can you switch the light on?"

So he did, the small room flooding with light after a couple of flicks and revealing all. But not all they wished to see. "You really need to find a better place to keep your guns." Peter made them jump, sat in the corner of the room in the chair with a gun in his hand.

"Peter…" Evelyn smiled a little, thankful he was ok. "I'm so glad you're…" There was a growling, and Nathan stepped to the side as Tarka stepped out from a hidden spot beside the door, his teeth bore, his hackles raised and his eyes glowing Starnik green. What was this? Defiantly not a social visit seeing as he stood up and bore the gun in their direction. Her first thought was he was here to see them. Yeah, he was, just not in the way they were expecting. His face was of complete and utter seriousness, he was ready to pull the trigger.

"Where's Sam?" He asked demandingly. Nathan took his partner by the arm and stood between her and his son, but also remaining aware of Tarka stood behind them. This was the first time in a very long time they had feared their son, even more so a wolf!

"Son, just put the gun down." Nathan said calmly.

"You lost the right to call me your son when you wanted me to kill innocents." Peter spat. "Now tell me, where is Sam!"

"He's not here." Evelyn answered fearfully.

"Bullshit!" Tarka snarled, jumping onto the bed just beside them and making them jump again and flinch via his actions. "He wouldn't go anywhere without you. Why would he go and leave you here?"

"Because he's gone after your friends." She shouted, the tension building and Peter's finger becoming itching to pull the trigger.

"What do you mean? How would he know they've gone if you're tracking me?"

"Because we've been listening to everything you've been saying!" Nathan then shouted back. There was a moment of silence as both Peter and Tarka shared a look.

"How?" Peter asked curiously, this had to be a trick.

"While your friend was out and Sam was hurting you, we placed a microphone behind the wolf's ear. It's glued to his skin and so small it's hidden under his fur, so he wouldn't know it's even there unless he felt it with his own paw." Ok, this just got serious. Tarka felt the honesty pouring out of them, and he nodded to Peter to confirm it for him.

"We've got to warn them." Tarka said.

"How, they're in another country!" Peter growled frustrated.

"There's nothing you can do." Nathan then spoke. "Sam's gone to Idaho to stop them, he'll already be there before they even stepped foot off that plane."

"They're walking into a trap." Tarka came to the realisation. "We've got to do something or they'll be slaughtered!"

What could he do? Nothing, not unless he had a way of travelling two thousand miles in a few minutes. Sadly, the technology of today didn't allow that. Never had he been more mad and eager to pull a trigger in his life. Has anyone been this lustful to shot their own parents? Unlikely. But what was the point, this was not their fault. "Just fucking shoot them." Tarka growled. "It's their fault we're like this." It wasn't the look in their eyes that made him do it; it was because this wasn't going to change anything. He began to lower the gun; looks of relief came to his parent's face and disappointment on Tarka's. But that all changed when something came to mind and he raised it again.

"Give me my ring." He threatened. "Give it to me, now!" Evelyn scrambled to reach into her jacket pocket. Afterwards she presented it to him. He reached for it, taking it in his hand and holding it and her fingers doing so. "This is a warning, stay away from me or I will shoot you." He then ripped it out of her fingers and began to walk around him. But suddenly, Nathan grabbed his arm and Peter was quick to point the gun back at his head.

"You think we're still here because we want you?" He asked. "We're here because we want a new life." Did he really just hear that? He wanted to hear them say that for a long time. But no dream came be this good. "You can't change how we feel about some things, but we can change how we live around them."

"So?" Peter spat back.

"So…We're out of COWEL." Evelyn answered. "We want a life, not one that involves running and hiding. We… we want a life with you." He scowled and pulled his arm out from his father's arm.

"Then have that life, just keep me out of it." He threatened. "Tarka, get the door." His eyes settled for the first time since they walked in as he jumped up the door to open it. "If I see you near me again, then I WILL kill you." He then threw the gun on the bed and walked towards the door.

He expected what happened next. Tarka walked out and around the corner, and as soon as Peter stepped foot out her heard someone walk quickly. He looked back, witnessing his father wielding the same gun towards him. He didn't move, he didn't say anything as he pulled the trigger, nothing but a click coming out. He had removed and disposed of all the bullets for their weapons. This was why he had to get away; he didn't want a life where his parents tried to kill him nearly everyday. Now they had nothing that belonged to him to find him again, he could live away.

Now Rickie understood in that brief second how Aquila and Peter felt. He yelped loudly for a second before he too was on the floor and out cold for the next few hours. Aquila stood to the side, it all happened so fast. Jonah stood over his distant cousin, his eyes settling and returning to their normal brown, his breathing slowing as did his heart. Was this what things had come to now? Zapping his family like this to keep them safe? He found no pleasure in this, but it was for the best. Aquila watched as he looked down to his cousin sleeping soundly now. Was she next? They knew where to go, Rickie told them just before that once they reached this stream they had to follow it up where they'd come across a small tunnel, that's where he found his brother's body. Here on, Rickie was just in danger, so he saved him. "I'm sorry." Jonah whispered.

He the turned to his friend, hers eyes glazed over with fear and shock. These weren't the eyes of her best friend anymore she was looking into; these were the eyes of a wolf that had been changed against his will. His ancestors did this to him; they had turned him into this. "Jonah please." She begged. "You'll need my…"

"Can you help me move him?" He asked, a small smile appearing on his face afterwards. She was hesitant, but then she saw that he wasn't going to do anything to her. He knew that he'd need her. Together, they dragged him to a nearby bolt hole, his body just about big enough to slide inside. They had to expand it a little, but he'd be safe for now. There was a silence around them the entire time, she feared he'd do this to her next soon, he feared the awkwardness that he knew was beginning to shroud them. Rickie was well hidden after they were done, he'd be safe until this was all over and they came back for him. It was growing dark now, night very nearly had fallen and had very little light left to give. "Maybe we should find shelter; we can't do this at night." She just nodded.

But suddenly, there was a clap of lightening which struck a spot right before them. They had to clench their eyes from the amount of light and sound it emanated. This was no natural lightening however; there was not a cloud in the sky. When it came to an end, in the scorched part of the earth it created a very familiar she-wolf lay…seething and crying. She wept a little, a few little tears coming down her face as she held onto her left wrist. "Ow, ow, ow, ow." She tried to make it look better then it really was, trying to laugh through it. _"Try and make it look funny for yourself."_ Her father's voice echoed in her mind. _"It won't hurt as much that way."_ Nope, it wasn't working. "Ok…" She then began to cry a little more. "That hurt, ow…mom!"

"Woah, are you ok?" Aquila asked. The amount of times the two had seen her, this was the worst landing they've seen her perform.

"No, I…I landed on my paw, and… it really hurts." She cried and pushing herself up with her good paw. Bad idea, she fell again. Aquila just laughed a little to herself and walked towards her and helped her to sit up.

"There you go, take it nice and easy."

"Ha, you sound like my mo…woah." Her jaw hung loosely at the sight of Jonah and Aquila stood around her. The pain in her paw fading as a new thing caught her attention. But why? Why a reaction like this was the first time she had seen then. Why react as if they were giants?

"Wait?" Jonah chuckled. She quickly shook her head and remembered the pain in her paw.

"Nothing, I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Surprised about what?" Aquila asked.

"That it worked." She answered and trying not to look into her eyes. "It's the first time I've gone to the place I need to be on the first try." Both Jonah and Aquila gave each other a quick look of confusion. Maybe she was tired, she looked it.

"So what now?" Jonah then asked. "Where do we go?"

"Err…let me think." She waited a moment, trying to figure out the words to use. This was officially the strangest she's ever acted around them. She continued to lean against Aquila, her black and brown pelt grazing against Aquila's brown and white. "Oh…right. You need to get ready and head to the temple tonight. That's what they said."

"Who said?" Aquila asked curiously.

"My mom and dad." She answered. "Ah damn it; they said not to say that!" She then shouted.

"It's ok, it's ok." Aquila giggled and holding her more up right. "Everything's fine."

"But tonight?" Jonah asked. "It's going to be too dark to see."

"Don't beat the messenger." She responded. "Now step back, I need my mom to look at my paw."

"Just…be careful, ok, don't hurt yourself." Aquila cautioned and making sure she had her balance before letting her go and stepping back with Jonah. She closed her eyes and stood up, taking a deep breath in and waiting. Suddenly, just like earlier and always, lightening crashed down onto her. The two covered their eyes as the light seemed to just crash down onto her endlessly, it didn't even come down from the sky, more light she just turned into it. But then, adding more surprises to it, when it faded she still stood there. She exhaled loudly and growled angrily.

"God damn it!" She exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Jonah asked.

"I'm still working on how to get back. That's the only part I have to do, just go back home. But I always mess it up." She then whined and dropped her rear back down.

"You've never messed it up before." Aquila said. She then lifted her head up.

"Before? This is the first time I've come." What were they on about? She's never seen them before.

"I think you've been teleporting too much." Jonah replied. "Maybe you should just relax for a moment and then go.

"No!" She shouted. "I can't stay; I've got to get home." She was desperate, she was beginning to panic. They could see it flooding out of her like an aura, this wasn't good.

"Ok, just calm down." She was young, and Aquila seemed to know what to do. "Take deep breaths…wait, what's that?" It was then she saw something, something that she recognised. She stopped just in front of her.

"What's what?" The girl asked and looking behind her.

"That!" She asked and pointing to the red ribbon tied behind her long mane. She quickly moved away before Aquila could touch it and shuffled backwards.

"It's…It's nothing." She insisted nervously.

"No, I've seen that before." She placed her paw behind her head, feeling the ribbon tied behind hers.

"There are lots of ribbons out there; we've just got the same." She insisted. It was then that something caught Jonah's attention and decided to add to the interrogation as he stepped forwards.

"Then what's that?" He asked and pointing to her paw. She looked down to her left forepaw, quickly covering it from view with her bad one.

"It's just a birthmark." She answered. They had her on the ropes, she was starting to crack and they could see it. They wanted to know more about her. She seemed to know nearly everything about them, yet they knew nothing about her. How did she know so much.

"It's not just a birthmark." He grinned; he was so sure about it even thought he saw it for a second. He took her paw and gently lifted it after a small stare off between then started and finished. Underneath was her ordinary paw, along with three white claws and…two middle white ones. Only a select group of she-wolves had this birthmark, Jackie had it, her daughter had it, Jonah's mother had the same too. "You're a Starnik."

"No I'm not." She covered it again.

"But you've got powers, this is incredible." Aquila couldn't believe her eyes, all this time, she was a Starnik descendant. She had to have come from the same bloodline as Jonah if she was a teleport.

"Where are you parents? Has Henry been sending you?"

"No." She whined. "Please, just stop asking."

"Where did you come from?" Jonah continued. "There must be…" Aquila nudged him, stopping him and pointing out how upset she was becoming. Her eyes were welling with tears and she held back the sobs. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you cry."

"Please, just help me go home." She pleaded again, but now she began to cry. She's a supernatural, so unless upset was what triggered her power then she needed to calm down first.

"Shh…it's ok." Aquila said softly and wrapping her paws around the young adolescent. She cried into her chest fur quietly, her paw tucked in a she leaned into Aquila's chest. Jonah didn't understand, but now was a time to wait for her to calm down.

They waited, they had to have been for nearly ten minutes before she had quietened down but still had her head tucked under Aquila's chin. "Close." She whispered all of a sudden.

"What?" Jonah asked.

"My parents are close, you wanted to know." She muttered from her position.

"Can we walk to them?" Aquila wondered. "We'll take you there."

"But you've got the stop Sam." She sniffed and looking up to Aquila. "You've got to go and stop him before it's too late."

"That can wait for now." Aquila cooed and running a paw down her damp cheek. "How about you tell us your name? Maybe that'll make this easier." Why did she feel the young wolf's body tense up at the question? A bad thing to ask? But it was appropriate.

"You already know my name." She answered. "You gave it to me." She said and placing her head back against Aquila's chest. "You gave it to me the day I was born." Once again, both Aquila and Jonah looked at one another. Where was this headed? "My name's Layvah." She then said after a moment.

"What a lovely name." Aquila replied sweetly, but he face wasn't of that, still of complete confusion. "What does it mean?"

"You heard it from someone else." She sniffed while pushing Aquila away and sitting up straight. "You said it and they said it in another way. You called me "Lightening Girl", and in Dire Wolf, that mean "Layvah Mito"." _Suddenly, in that moment they were in Alaska and she left without speaking to them. It was the moment where Natali spoke "Layvah Mito." It flashed before them, that memory that translated her name_ "Layvah Mito", Dire wolf for "Lightening Girl". "I like that name." She then continued. "I couldn't think of a better name."

"You say your mom and dad are close." Aquila said worryingly. Layvah only smiled and nodded.

"I'm standing right in front of them." She answered. "I don't teleport. I didn't just travel through time to this moment for the hell of it. I came because you told me to. I came because I wanted to see my mom and dad. And I got to."

"Wait, wait, wait…you mean…" Jonah stuttered, what was this?

"You're my mom and dad." She answered.

In that moment, in that split second, Jonah's world flipped upside down. Aquila was mutual; she couldn't understand what she was hearing. Their minds summarised it first. This girl standing before them, she had a power to travel through time, and she's come to see them, her parents. She is proclaiming all this without evidence. Well, other then as Starnik gene and power. But as they took her in, the saw more. Black fur from Jonah, along with the dark brown splodges across her body as well as a few lighter brown which must have been Aquila. She had a layer of white along her sides, the white of Aquila's underside perhaps? Then her eyes, grey, that of Aquila once more. Jonah plus Aquila…equals this!

No, he refused to believe this, he didn't want this, he wouldn't let it. Aquila however, woah…her mind was blown. She had feelings for Jonah for sure, but that! This had taken her perspective of him to a new level, her daughter, standing in front of them. Born from her, conceived by Jonah. She wanted to look at him, wanting to know what was going through his head. But she couldn't look in his eyes. "Say something." She suddenly said. "Are you mad?"

"I…err. Just…come here." Aquila opened her paws to her, and once again Layvah attached herself to her chest in an embrace. This felt so right, right now, it was natural. The bond between mother and child. She took this moment to look at Jonah, her gaze brave enough to do so and his also. They met for a moment, but neither aid or motioned to anything.

"You guys are so happy." Layvah then spoke up. "We all are."

"How did you get powers?" Jonah asked quietly, the shock of this still settling in.

"Don't you get it?" She asked as she let go of her mother. "You guys reactivated the Starnik gene." This was dumb founding. This can't possible, this can't be happening! "Supernatural blood was what kept the gene alive back then. A Starnik with power and a supernatural wolf was all that was needed to bring the gene back in this family. I have power, my children probably will too. That's what you told me anyway."

"Who told you?" Aquila asked.

"You did, mom." She smiled, her tail flipping around a single time as she did. She then turned to Jonah. "You told me everything dad." His eye widened. "Don't fight it, or else you won't be happy. You made it specific that I tell you that tonight."

"When did I tell you?" He gulped.

"Two months ago today." She answered. "When you got to see me and my brothers for a first time."

"Wait, how many of you are there?" Aquila asked partly shocked, partly wondering and partly happy.

"Just me and my two brothers, believe me, sometimes you'll wish you didn't have them." Layvah giggled. "I shouldn't have told you all of this; you're going to be real mad at me."

"Well…just tell me to go easy on you, ok?" Aquila laughed awkwardly. "Two months?" She then asked, remembering that part of what she just said.

"It was the happiest day of your lives." But suddenly she then gasped. "Wait…" She then shuffled backwards. "Happy." Aquila screamed and jumped back when a clap of thunder and a flash of lightening crash down onto her and right before her eyes. It was all of a sudden, she wasn't prepared for it to happen. It then cleared just as fast as it appeared, leaving behind all the evidence she usually did. All but one thing was different, the silence that Aquila and Jonah had never experienced around one another before. Sure they shared memories and experience of mating and stuff, but with one another was not one of them.

God knows how long they stood not looking sat one another in their spots. A minute, fifteen, hours?! But someone had to say something. "Do you…Shall we…"

"Let just find someplace to stay tonight." Jonah interrupted her. So he led the way.

He led her to cliff face where inside they found a small cave; this would be fine for the night. The only thing that wouldn't be is the emotions the two had. Never had they felt more apart from one another then now. All these years of being so close and now all of a sudden they were sitting back to back on the other side of the den from the other lost in their own thoughts. A daughter, made by both of them had come to them with two brothers somewhere else. A gift? In Aquila's eyes that's what it seemed to be. She dreamed of children one day, but with Jonah? "Jonah?" She asked, turning around to look at him. He was facing the den entrance, looking as if he was about to run out. "Can we talk please?"

"I wasn't sure what it was I was feeling." He replied and catching off guard by it. "Each time I looked at you or thought about you, my chest latched on to it and wouldn't let it go. I hated it, I wanted it to go." He then looked straight at her. "I've got feelings for you Aquila, but I don't know what to do about it."

"Don't fight it." She answered and walking over towards him. "Your own daughter told you that, our daughter. Jonah, that night you kissed me, I know it was for survival, but it felt right. Something changed in me, and it wasn't the heat, something made me think about you. The other night, I wanted to do something but I couldn't because I thought of you."

"What are you say?" He then asked.

"I think I love you Jonah." She answered, just as dumbfounded as he.

"I…think I…" He turned away from her, it felt so right to say, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. It was disgusting, his best friend. "We can't do this Aquila, it's wrong."

"What if it's not though?" She insisted. Man, she sounded so begging. "What if this was supposed to happen? Believe me, I didn't want it to at first, but I can't help the way I feel. It grosses me out too you know."

"Then why aren't you fighting it?"

"Because a very clever little girl we both know told us not to, otherwise it hurts and makes things harder."

"But it already hurts Aquila, to know that I love my best friend that I've know for a long time. It just…"

"Why are you making excuses?" She interrupted him now. "You saw what I did; we have a daughter in the future and two sons. Don't you want that?" He looked away from her again. "I don't know about you, but I do. Maybe things won't turn out like they are in her time now, but things can still work out." She then came to his side. "I love you Jonah, believe it or not, but I do."

"I love you too." He snapped.

"Then what's stopping us?"

"This is." He pointed to a spot between them. "What we had before, it's too valuable to lose."

"Jonah…" She then said calmly. "You wanted a friend, and that's what I've been. You'll want a family some day and I'm going to give you a daughter and two sons. Can't you see that this is supposed to happen and be? It's our destiny. Can't you see that if she came to us now, that everything with Sam and COWEL will be fine. We'll live and have that family Jonah."

"I've learnt enough about my family to know that things can always change." He responded. "Not everything can happen the way we want it."

"Then we can at least try." She placed her paw on his. He looked down to it before up into her grey eyes. "Don't fight it Jonah, I've tried so hard not to, you can do it too. I don't know what happens to us in the future, if we get married, if it takes longer then we planned for that family, or whatever! But if we die tomorrow, then tonight needs to be worth it. If this is my last night on his earth then I don't want it to go to waste. For one night…why can't you just stop fighting and give in. For this one night, why can't you be…a mate to me?"

He was disgusted and he yanked his paw away. "I'm sorry." He shook his head. "But I can't." He didn't say another word as he then stood up and walked outside.

Aquila couldn't believe herself; she sounded so begging, so pleading for it. But she couldn't believe Jonah. She turned around and sat down, a tear ready to fall.

He stopped at the sound of her first weep, his ear turning back to listening to her crying. It was wrong, but it felt right. It was disgusting, but it was inevitable. It can't be done, yet it was destiny. He and Aquila were going to have a family in this life apparently. These feelings, so what if they were caused by a means of survival. This wasn't right now, this was a neutral place. They were safe; they could do as they wished. The evens matched the odds. Each time he thought of a reason not to, he always came back to a reason to stop fighting, and then some more. Why did he have to fight it? What drove him to this? To make his friend cry, to deny her a family, a life of happiness and love. Was this supposed to happen?

She felt like a whore, a God damn slut who just wanted to mate and have a family. This wasn't heat talking; this was her own personal wants and desires. This wasn't fair, her life wasn't being fair. It was throwing up all over her and making sure she hated it. She gets teased by her daughter coming to her, telling her what a life her future has in store of her, only for the supposed father of her children to now hate her. If so, then what was that touching her back?

Jonah came up behind her, his paw resting on her shoulder. She stopped crying, but refused to meet his gaze. "Jonah? What are you doing?" He walked around beside her, using his paw to take off her feathers Henry gave her and place them to the side. What was he doing? What was that look in his eye she had never seen before? He then walked around her, sitting right behind her to the point she could feel his breath on her neck, causing her back hairs to stand on end at the chills it sent down her spine. She then felt both his paws on her neck, fiddling with the ribbon on the back of her head before setting them with the feathers.

She turned around, finally meeting with those eyes of his that she either came to hate or love. What did she feel now? Her eyes were glazed with innocence, Jonah's of forgiveness and want. What was this strange behaviour? He leaned over to her and began to nuzzle her neck affectionately. Her eyes involuntarily fluttered at the touch, she was certain she knew what this was. Then she felt him kiss her neck, a small gasp of shock escaping her as he did so and kissed her up her neck. Her back was still to his chest; her head turning back to face the front and lifted into the air at the experience. The he kissed the corner of her mouth, their position not allowing him to go much further. This triggered something that caused her to spin her body around, once again freezing as their eyes locked on one another. They crossed muzzles, her forepaws resting on his shoulders as his rested on her waist. "For a night?" He whispered, continuing to look her in the eye while their muzzles still crossed one another's. "Why not a life time?" She leaned down and then across, catching the side of his lips with hers. He completed the movement, turning his head to catch hers and pull her closer. The fight was over.

A night of love, a night of ecstasy occurred in the hours to come. They tossed and turned as their intimacy grew into the night, Jonah eyes rapidly glowing with the arousal coursing through his body. The rolling, the turning, the kissing, the lifting, thrusting and grinding, the occasional bite and small scratch, the playfulness of it all, twisting and turning, moaning and groaning, push and pulling, urges satisfying. The pauses in-between, the great amount of pleasure and heat that erupted between them, the build ups of love, the thrusting, the grinding, the moaning and groaning, all adding to…releasing.

Three hours since the start, the den scented of nothing but their love and occurrences. Aquila was asleep, curled into a ball in the back of the stone cave, her fur in a complete mess and feeling full and satisfied. Happy most of all. Jonah was awake, he couldn't and wouldn't sleep. He sat beside her, staring down at her beauty, running a paw down her side as she slept. He then stood, walked to her head and leaned down, kissing her cheek delicately before whispering. "I love you. Take our life with you and keep them safe." He kissed the corner of her mouth a second time before looking to the den mouth. "I'll keep my family safe." He said before dashing out.

**Man, this took ages to write! I struggled a lot to write this, so forgive me for the many errors i'm sure you saw. I'm not sure If any felt maybe things were too rushed, because I'm not too sure. But then I couldn't add anything in-between because A: I had nothing and B: because it didn't sound right. But nether-the-less, here it is and I hoped you enjoyed it.**

**For the guest who reviewed about another story Idea, I know i said that i'm not planning another story, and I still stand by that, but have been thinking, would you like to? I give you my full permisson to write it yourself and use and add any characters you like. Just make sure if you publish it just say where the idea came from please for your sake. I know you reviewed as a guest, but maybe you should try writing your own stories? It's loads of fun.**

**Until next time guys. :D**

**The FalconWolf**


	26. Chapter 26 The Power of the Ancients

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 26: The Power of the Ancients

He never had any regrets; he loved Aquila, both as a best friend and lover. They mated; he knew what was to happen now. Layvah told him two months today they would see them for the first time. It was so clear now. His daughter would have the power to travel through time, now he understood why things were so confusing. She's been getting the times mixed up; the information she had must have come from himself and Aquila in the future, telling her to go to those times. So…if that was the case, does that mean everything was going to be alright? That all of this was would go down ok and he'd live?

He began to wonder that. He knew very well through listening to the family stories that time can always change. Scott Starnik's mother had the gift to see what was coming before it came, her information was passed down to him and then down into the family. So he knew just as well as the next descendant that everything can change in the time it takes for a heart beat to a single time. For example, back in the time of the Starnik, Scott received dreams of his future family, only for them to shatter upon his death along with everyone else after his daughter was born. That was why he had to leave Aquila; he couldn't bring her with him if he knew she was going to conceive. He would die knowing he either tried or succeeded in protecting his family and his species. He knew Dakota Starnik became married a day after he met his mate, but he never mated with her! But like I said, he had no regrets. He wanted it; he wasn't going to fight anymore.

But that life was still endangered while Sam lived, so now was the time to do what he was supposed to do. It was time he gathered his courage and killed Sam! Somehow…

That was still an unanswered question, how does he kill someone who can't die? How would he get close enough? Were there places to hide so he could sneak up on them? How long would he have to wait for? Would he already be there? Lupa said this was the place he'd have to face Sam, and Layvah confirmed it was tonight he had to be there. It was coming to the early hours of the morning now; he had about three hours before dawn shone its light. This could be his last night on this plain; he could very well end up seeing his ancestors soon, and his parents. That possibility seemed to become more likely the more he ran.

Before he zapped Rickie, he told them that, when he came in search of his brother, he came to the stream, followed it up towards the base of the mountain where it forked. The fork on the right was dry; no water ran down it, just mud and eventually dirt. They'd have to keep following that then until the mountain where it then went underneath through a small tunnel which resulted in leading to the Starnik Temple. Jonah checked on his cousin before he did, he was still sound asleep in the bolt hole they left him in. It was a shame he didn't have an offensive power like Aquila, otherwise he could have used it against Sam. Jonah chuckled a little. "For your brother." He rubbed his head, smiled and then continued running to the nearby stream.

He found it, gently running peacefully away from the base of the mountain. He did as Rickie said and ran along it, he had to be quick. For some reason he felt he was running out of time before something happened. He still didn't know what he was supposed to do; he had the power to kill Sam his ancestors say, what power? There wasn't a supernatural being with him, so how could he kill someone with a power like his? He couldn't, it can't be done!

There it was, the fork, a continuously ending supply of water coming from the left and nothing from the right as it went up a small hill. He had to do this; this man had hurt so many people. The Starnik and their children in the time they lived in and all he did to them, himself for running his life, Aquila for forcing her to run, Henry for attacking him at their home, Blake and Rickie for separating them, their younger brother Leon for nearly costing him his fragile little life, Peter for making his life a misery, Tarka for making him blow up his home, and the whole of Wolf Kind for slaughtering several of his kind. This man had to die; he deserved to die for his crimes.

The mountain, well…more of a jagged cliff face really, came into sight after ten minutes of running and following the stream. There he found a crack in the stone wall where it once flowed out of. He looked inside, he smelt for anything and he got nothing back but darkest from his eyes and mud from his nostrils. This was it, the entrance to the great Starnik Temple. But also the entrance to his possible death, it was like he was staring through the gates of death with the amount of darkness inside. He had to do this, there was no turning back after everything he's seen and been through. "Ok." He muttered to himself before jumping down into the ditch the stream had naturally made before trudging into the darkness. A huge mistake.

"He's coming, get ready."

It grew to a tighter the further he walked inside, to the point where the walls pressed against his sides and he groaned to squeeze through. He couldn't see a thing as the jagged and rather spiked walls poked and scrapped his sides, he was blind in this darkness as he walked through the tunnels and rounded the sudden corners he'd come across. He didn't know how long he was walking, stumbling and squeezing through the dark walls around him, no light to be seen. It was cold, that much was for sure.

But there, a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel. He moved a bit faster as the walls began to open up more and the light grew closer. It was bright, but it was something.

He squeezed through one final tight spot before coming into a hole and some more light. He looked up as a continuous trickle of water fell onto his head and created a small puddle underneath him. This hole was deep, taller then he. Where was a human to life him up when he needed it?

It took a lot of effort, but he managed to claw his way up and over the edge where he was in for one heck of a surprise. He stood up; gasping in awe of the ancient place in was now stood in. This had to be what they called "the sanctum". The ditch that was once a pool of fish, he looked back to it, seeing the cracks and rubble blocking the top of it and only allowing a small trickle of water to come through. Then the ground suddenly went down a little. He looked to his paws, finding he was now standing in some slight crater, an indented circle with cracks and a black stain surrounding it. A fire? Something heavy may have fallen here perhaps? He looked ahead, a pile of boulders and rocks blocked an archway. He looked to his right to a wall that made him walk towards it and then suddenly to the ground when he stood on something uneven. Carved into the ground, symbols and claw marks were shown. It was a giant circle field with symbols and a giant star in the middle. The diamond carved into the wall also somehow made him feel these were linked. The walls around him had been ravaged by time, vines, tree roots and plants tried to grow around them. The ceiling had a hole in it, allowing some of the full moon's light to illuminate the giant room. But something else too caught his attention. On the floor in the centre of the circle was something that he was sure didn't belong here.

He approached it, a large red stain on the stone floor. He gasped as a sudden realisation came to mind and he quickly backed away. What else could have left this? Nothing but Blake's body. He was defiantly in the right place. This was it, his ancestral home, the place the Starnik were their strongest. This place had history; he was honoured to be one of the few who had been here before. This would be an incredible find some day when civilisation found it. Wait…

He saw something else as he turned around, another thing he was defiantly sure didn't belong here. He walked back across the room where he found something that looked rather new instead of old. He stopped and looked at it, a spotlight beside the wall. What was this doing here? Had someone already been here? It was attached to a lead, a wire; it came out from behind it, then up the wall where it was hooked in somehow. It travelled up the wall and up to that hole in the roof where it disappeared over the edge. He looked back to it, what was this doing here?

Suddenly, it switched on, and as a result from staring at it, its bright light blinded him and made him cry out and clutch his eyes. In that moment of blindness, groups of men and women jumped down from the hole on ropes. In a state of blind panic, Jonah tried to run, only to find the way he came in and the only way out blocked now as many blocked that way. There had to be over twenty of them, all armed with their weapons whether a gun or a bat of some kind. This was bad, this was very bad. They had him surrounded; they were sure keep a distance from him for they knew what he was capable of.

They had him trapped, so it was safe for Sam to slide down his own rope next, landing with a thud before he un-clipped himself from the line. "So, Jonah right?" It was an act of desperation that happened next and drove Jonah forwards. He roared and sprinted for him, not making it close to him before Sam swung a bat and beat him away again. He sprawled into the stone, his side rocketing with pain. This wasn't looking good, and he felt he was about to add to the blood stain he lay beside. He groaned in pain as he tried to push himself up, a few of the others coming around to him to make sure he didn't try anything. Sam suddenly knelt down by his head, so he looked up to him in a glare and with pained eyes. "I was hoping we could just talk."

"What is there to talk about you piece of shit?" Jonah spat, his reward…a smack to the back of his head by the butt of a gun from the woman standing behind him. He seethed and remained quiet after that.

"Now, now, let's try to be civil shall we." Sam then spoke up. "So tell me, where are you friends?" Jonah looked back up to him; did he really think he'd tell them that? "What? Did you really think you'd come all the way out here without them?" He chuckled. Jonah refused to speak, so Sam made the order. "I want five of you waiting outside, he won't be alone."

"I am alone." Jonah whined.

"Oh I believe you; I just don't want to take any chances." By the time Sam looked back down to him Jonah pounced onto him, using all the strength he could and ignoring the pain in his side to use the push Sam gave him to roll over the other side and grab his neck while flexing his claws around them. Everyone locked their weapons on him, but by this point Sam sat up with Jonah holding onto him with flexed claws around his throat, but not touching, using him as a human shield. This only made Sam laugh. "Don't be foolish Jonah. You know this won't kill me."

"I wasn't planning on it." He wrapped his paw around his neck, his light flashing in his eyes and his paw draining what Sam had to offer. Their eyes widened and Sam shouted as the sensation took over his body and he couldn't fight. A man to the side made the dare devil shot and fired, clipping Jonah's shoulder and throwing him off Sam who sprung forwards and away.

He looked back over to him, lying motionless on the floor and not breathing. He thought he was just clipped. He had his strength still; the touch didn't last long enough to work clearly. Still, he was mad. She jumped to his feet and marched to the man who fired, snatching the gun out of his hand and getting right in his face. "You idiot!" He snapped in his British accent. "We needed him alive, what use is he to us now that…" Everyone flinched again as Jonah groaned in agonizing pain and crawled to his paws. Nobody understood this, what was this? Jonah turned around to face them, looking down at his shoulder where a bullet clearly went in and out the other side. But then everyone including him marvelled when it healed over, drawing the blood back inside and sealing shut before fading away without leaving a scar. He panted heavily, looking up to Sam.

"If you…want to kill me, then you're…going have to wait a while."

Meanwhile, Aquila inhaled loudly as her sleep ended, her eyes opening quickly before fluttering. She lips her dry lips to moisten them, regaining to taste of Jonah's lips on hers last night. She then remembered and giggled as the smells of last nights evidence came back to her and the state of her fur. Wow, that's all she could describe it. She was the happiest she-wolf in the world, nothing could ruin anything now. She lifted her head and yawned, it was still dark, she looked behind her. "Jonah?" He wasn't there. The only scent of his was of his musk room last night, there was nothing else but that. "Jonah!" She called out a little louder and looking to the mouth of the den. It was then it hit her, she knew where he went. "Oh no." He was going to get himself killed, he was alone, he had no way of protecting himself! She dashed to the den mouth, sticking her nose to the floor and picking up his scent before dashing out into the darkness. Sunrise would be soon, and Layvah said it would be done tonight. What if she was too late?

Lying was now Jonah's game plan. His power last around ten minutes each time he stole Aquila's power, his plan was to wait as long as his lie went unnoticed and think of something, a way out of here or to kill Sam, even if that meant killing himself trying. The lie was he told them his power lasted hours, that they will be here way past dawn. So for now, there was nothing they could do other then wait for it to wear off and keep a close eye on him. Sam wanted him to be moved out, he wanted to get out of this place he so hated. But he and nobody else dared to touch him to move him. Sam had a close call, he was lucky Jonah didn't touch him for long enough to keep him down and out.

That was his original plan, to touch him and hold on tight, to never let go until he was down and never getting up again. He doubted if he could actually kill anyone with it, but it was worth a try. He still marvelled at his shoulder, there wasn't a mark left on it. This power that was in his veins, it came from Rosie Starnik, Sam stole it from her. He found it a little funny to find he had the power of a Starnik.

Sam looked back to him. He and a few others were on the other side of the room, talking and waiting while a few more kept Jonah in their sites. He sat with his back to them, reading and looking up at some of the strange symbols. He began to wonder if maybe he was being tricked. He excused himself and started to approach him, his hand sliding down his side until he clipped his weapon. Jonah had no idea what was coming behind him. He was safe for the time being, or so he thought. Sam neared, was Jonah lying? Could this all just be a trick? Was what he saw real? Upon reaching him, he decided not to test it. Instead he walked around and stood beside him. Five people were watching Jonah, ten more stood around waiting for orders and another five patrolled outside. Jonah now sensed him standing there. So he growled to himself and moved away, turning around to walk else where. "Let's talk Jonah."

"There's nothing to talk about. I already told you that!" He growled and continuing to walk to another part of the wall. Sam persisted and followed.

"When I was young…" He ignored Jonah and followed him to his new sitting position, as did the guards watching him. "My father brought me up into what we called the Ditori. It was our aim…"

"To do disgusting things." Jonah intervened and moving away again to another spot. But still Sam followed.

"Maybe so." He agreed. "But it was for the greater good."

"How is killing my kind for the greater good?" He actually wanted to hear this.

"Because someone on this earth needs to be the apex species. The top species of the planet."

"You're fucking stupid." Jonah snarled and getting to his paws, standing firm and flashing his eyes angrily at him. "You clearly don't know old timer, but things are different now. There is no apex predator. Sure, humans can makes things and know more things then us, but they can't do the things we can do."

"Medicines, technology, do I really need to make a list?" Sam argued back.

"Heightened senses, speed, strength, instincts, do I need to make a list?" Jonah snapped back. "What do you want with me? Why don't you just cut my head off and see if that works. Why are you not making my last few moments agony for me?"

"Who says I don't have plans for you." Sam then snickered while turning around to start walking away. Now it was Jonah's turn to follow him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Aquila grunted as she slithered out of the hole in the wall to now come into a hole in the ground. Jonah was here, she followed his scent here, up the stream and through this part of the mountain. She also knew COWEL was here, it was hard to pass through unnoticed and to this point. She clambered up the wall, peeking over the top to have a great amount of relief pass over her when she saw Jonah alive. But why? She thought he was dead the moment she saw the first COWEL member. She gasped and ducked back down when a woman stood just in front of her, luckily facing away. What was Jonah talking about?

"I've learnt from experience that the mass extinct of wolves is a tough feat to accomplish." Sam answered and walking out to the middle of the room with Jonah following not far behind. "My father died trying to find a faster way to make it happen, but it was me who saw how it could be done." He stopped and spun around to face him, freezing Jonah quickly to the spot. "I didn't know supernatural wolves were born naturally until the final days of the Ditori. I thought Scott and Rosie's children were freaks of nature, I didn't know other could be born."

"Our species are special." Jonah replied. "The Starnik were meant to succeed to create this world. Supernatural beings were born on both sides to make it even."

"Maybe so." Sam agreed, he really did. "But as you know, they are very hard to come across these days. So your friend was a very good find, so was your cousin."

"You leave them out of this." Jonah snarled with teeth bore.

"I intend to." Sam replied. "All I want is you and a very lucky girl to give me what I want." What was he talking about? "I want Starnik wolves to have the power to do what we want."

Aquila was listening, her eyes widened a little more as soon as she heard that and looked down to her belly, placing a paw over it. She knew what was going to happen after last night, she wasn't the only one in danger now if she was caught. Her daughter, Layvah, her sons, their lives could be wiped out tonight, time would be re-written if her daughter wasn't born and there to tell them where to go.

"You're insane!" Jonah exclaimed. "I'd never do this, you can't make me."

"You don't think I haven't thought of that?" He asked back. "Now you either help us, or we will find and kill everyone you love. Starting with your girlfriend, Aquila wasn't it?" He couldn't do this, Jonah wouldn't let him!

There was a sudden scream and thud as a woman flew passed Sam and into the wall on the other side of the forty foot dome. He spun around, his eyes flaring with stolen Starnik light as Aquila pounced out of the hole and began fighting wildly. She pushed her paw right, sending back a man into the wall there. She then swiped her paw left, pushing up and back another two men and a woman away and into the wall back there. "AQUILA STOP!" Jonah bellowed. She froze, a clicked sounded behind her. All guns then went from Jonah to her. She got rid of seven, another fourteen still watched her. Behind her, one of them readied to pull the trigger with the barrel beside her head. She didn't stop; she wasn't going to until they were all dead. Her body began to emanate a blur like a heat wave. She was going to pulse out he knew it. "Don't." He pleaded; he couldn't watch her get hurt, not now more then ever. She was terrified, he was terrified. She didn't want to, but something made her. The heat wave around her faded away, leaving only her with watery eyes. Jonah took a step to go to her as she did too, only for them both to be stopped as people moved in around them again, some picking themselves and coming back to them while others didn't move, either dead or dying from the blood pouring out their heads.

"Keep them apart." Sam ordered. "Don't le them get close."

"Aquila what are you doing here?" Jonah asked, this was a big mistake.

"I'm sorry." She was ready to cry. "I couldn't let you come on your own."

"He was never on his own!" Someone suddenly shouted. Everyone looked to the pool where a brown and white she-wolf now stood. Lupa watched on with a glare and an evil grin.

"We've been with him the whole time." Another male voice shouted. This time a black and white wolf stood the other side of the room. A proud Dakota watching his descendant standing in awe of them being here. Sam was turning into a state of panic, this couldn't be happening

"What wrong Sam?" He looked to the right of the room from the hole where a second she-wolf suddenly stood. This one nearly all black with some light brown and silver across her body. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Myka grinned. His killer now in his midst, it made him remove his pistol and point it to her. The wolf that killed him now standing in the same room, it was his turn for his heart to pick up speed now.

"But that can't be possible." Another female voice spoke. Rosie now standing on the left side of the domed room by the wall. He didn't see what was coming out of the wall behind him.

"Ghosts don't exist." Now he jumped out of fear when the human Scott stood behind him and sneered in his ear. Out of the fear, he jumped away, turned around and fired. So pointless, the bullet passed straight through him and pinged off the wall. All five of the Starnik stood around the room, none of them moving and none doing anything.

What was this? Nobody knew where to look; they couldn't look at one without having their backs to another. Everyone was in panic, but the only way out of here was up and out of the hole, they'd be dead by that time. "Sam." Scott grinned.

"W-what are you doing here." He stuttered. Never had he been so scared in his life. So he kept his gun on Scott. "You're dead."

"We are." Myka replied, her voice bounding and echoing across the walls. "But that doesn't mean we can't come back."

"That's the beauty of heaven. How's hell been for you Sam?" Scott then asked. "Hot?"

"Why are you here?" Sam asked back instead of answering, his hand shaking as he held the gun to his face.

"To remind my child of what he has to do." Rosie answered. She then turned to Jonah. "Don't be scared Jonah."

"You can do this." Dakota added.

"You have it in your power." Myka said.

"You've done it once before, so you can do it again." Lupa smiled.

"All you have to do is remember."

"Remember? Remember what?" Sam asked, looking to all five of them.

Jonah looked to each of them; this was taking him back to everything they had spoken about before this night. What did they mean? What were they talking about? This was the riddle they were going back to constantly, this was leading him no where. But for some reason, the looks in their eyes were telling him now was the time to act. Now was the time to do what he was led here to do. But how? How does he do it? Sam's immortality would have worn off a while ago now so he was in danger; the light of a new day was starting to shine through the hole in the roof. But what was he supposed to do.

Each of the Starnik around him looked to one another, seeing that he needed some help. They nodded to one another, closed their eyes and lifted their heads. That was all.

Suddenly, Jonah was plunged into a vision. His eyelids became TV screens that put in him a scene he had already seen. _"You have the ability to temporarily take the energy and power of whomever you wish."_ Dakota's voice spoke into his mind. The moment he first took Aquila's energy and power, that moment where he started blowing holes in the walls of that alley they were in. He already knew this, so why was he being shown it?

"_Only you can use the energy we leave behind in our most valuable items to bring us together."_ Scott's voice then echoed in his mind. The images of each time he touched an artefact and brought him to the Starnik. The bow that took his to Dakota, the feathers that brought him to Scott, Rosie's wedding band, Faolan's immortality bracelet and Myka's jewelled bracelet. Each one had Starnik energy wrapped around it as an aura that he could sense but not see, and each time he came into contact with it he met with them. But what did this mean? So what? It brought him to them to see them, that's all!

"_You have a lot of power, more then you could imagine."_ He heard Myka then speak. More power? How? He could track any supernatural around and take powers and energy. He never saw anything this time, but it wasn't long until he did.

"_You have what you need inside you; all you need now is the confidence to carry it out. Trust me…"_ Rosie voice then whispered as in the mist of what he was seeing he found he was standing among Blake's funeral. He saw a flicker of something, but it wasn't clear about what it was. It passed by too quickly. But then it repeated and slowed to its original speed. He was standing beside himself as he looked down at Blake's coffin, Aquila stood beside him. It was then he heard a fifth and final voice belonging to Lupa.

"_You've seen it, you've done it before, all you need to do is notice it and do it again."_

It was then everything, including him and everyone else around turned grey in colour like something out of a really, really old film. Everything was grey other then something he didn't remember seeing. On the coffin lay what he remembered to be Blake's old spell book and journal, his personal artefact for Jonah to come across. Only pouring out of it was a purple mist, like a smoke that flowed up and out into Jonah's head. Was this what he sensed each time he sensed a supernatural energy? He hadn't come across a Wicca like him and Myka before, so was this the colour they looked each time he looked at one? Hang on… He flashed to the moment where he confronted Blake's spirit.

He needed energy to speak to the Starnik, he subconsciously absorbed the energy his journal gave off.

"_You're an extract." Blake then said after a moment of staring. "I read about them once, I just never met one."_

"_I can take powers for a while, I know that much."_

"_Oh you can do so much more then that." Blake chuckled and stepping into the summer house and coming right up to him. "You can extract the energy from just about anything. From a supernatural, a mortal, from a Starnik artefact even…me."_

"_You? But you're…"_

"_Dead? Yeah, I know." He replied with a reassuring smile. He didn't mind talking about it. "I was allowed to come here for a short time to talk to you, to tell you this. As spirit like me, beings like our ancestor Lupa Starnik and her mate could detect the energy we give off and manipulate it so they could see us. You're power is very similar. I can't help but give off the energy that I do, but you're body detected it and let you see me."_

"_I don't get it." Jonah shook his head. "I can see ghosts?"_

"_Pretty much." Blake nodded and chuckled. "My book has my energy on it, standing by the coffin made your body absorb it and let you see me. You don't have a choice."_

He was standing to the side as they spoke, like he was a spirit of his own, watching them in this moment. He didn't need to touch anything to absorb Blake's spirit to see him; he just had to stand beside something that contained his energy. He was an extract, he could absorb residual energy lingering on object, through touch he can take people's energy and supernatural's powers, as well as bring him to neutral places to see spirits. He saw it now. He didn't need to touch anything if he focused, he didn't need anything to hold onto. He's done it before; he took the energy from the book and used it to see Blake's spirit. All this time, he's been given the answer to this never ending riddle. It's been right in front of him the whole time, he's been so stupid!

He opened his eyes, what he felt to be minutes long was only a few seconds. Each Starnik around him, Sam, Aquila and all the others smiled, he understood now and they were no longer needed. The men and women around flinched looked around when they each suddenly disappeared all together. Sam looked around, expecting one of them to suddenly appear behind him. That was how he died after all, he turned his back to Myka and she shot him. "What's happening?" He asked, nobody answered, all the twenty people were too busy looking around and waiting for them to show up again to act.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING!" He then bellowed.

"I know now." Jonah muttered. Eyes began to fall in him again now. Sam looked down to him and he looked up to meet his gaze. "I understand now."

"What?" Sam asked. He didn't answer. Instead he looked to Aquila who still stood fearful for loosing her life and therefore her still to be born pups.

"Everything's going to be ok." He whispered. She didn't understand. How could everything be alright?

"Jonah…" Sam didn't know what was happening. First his dead enemies reappear before him, then they disappear and suddenly Jonah's thinking of something. He=is hand shook more violently as he moved the gun to him. "What are you…"

"You're a fool." Jonah interrupted him. "Look around you, where are we?" He dared to take his eyes off him for a moment to look around him, but look at what. "You've brought me to the one place that can be used to kill you." He continued. "I didn't understand before, I never did until now. Before I thought I needed to touch people to gain their powers and energy, but not when I'm close enough."

"Then you'd better stay there." Sam warned.

"Oh I plan on it, because I don't need to go anywhere." He smirked. "This is the place my family were the strongest." He continued and walking around to take in the place. "This was where they were the strongest, this once belonged to them, this was and still it…an artefact of the Starnik." Sam didn't understand, but he never got to ask until Jonah carried on. "I'm an extract, I can take the energy I come into contact with, I don't need to touch anyone if I'm close enough or if the energy is strong enough. Yet here we are, standing in one of the greatest places around!"

"So? Where are you getting with this?" A sweat dripped down the side of Sam's head. Jonah just laughed.

"So…There is Starnik energy literally dripping out of these walls." He turned on his sense, all around him he was blinded by green light that pretty much blinded him. This place was full to the brim with this powerful energy. "Don't you get it?" Jonah continued. "You may have come back from the dead, you may be immortal and you may have people to back you up. But you didn't count on one thing."

"Which is?" He wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

"Me." Jonah answered. "With the Starnik came their energy, with that came these walls to soak them in and with that comes their powers. You see, the Starnik died one hundred years ago and took everything with them. But today, I'm here to take their place. Now that they're gone, I can use what they left behind." He laughed a little more as the shock of it set in. He couldn't believe he was about to say this. "I am…the Starnik!"

His eyes pulsated brightly, brighter then ever before and a colossal green light erupted from his body and consumed him and blinded all those watching. He opened his mind and body up to what the temple had to offer, he greeted what the temple threw at him with open paws within that green light where nobody could see him. He was full and kept on going. Everyone moved away, fearful for what this wolf was doing. Aquila didn't even know or understand, she just hoped he'd still be ok.

The light dimmed to the point Jonah was once again visible, but the light moved around him as an aura which they could all see. His eyes could not be seen however, they were nothing but lights of their own. The best way to describe them was like the headlights of a car at night. "I am Light…" He suddenly spoke, his voice was neutral, it wasn't angry, happy, scared or amazed by this power flowing through him. It was like he was just an empty shell now being controlled. That moment he spoke, a woman screamed and just as he looked left to her, a woman and three men shouted as they vanished in black smoke.

"I am one too Strong to fight…" Then another five vanished in the black smoke. Myka Starnik was with him, he could actually feel him either standing beside him or inside his head making him say this. He was using her Wicca gift; she was possessing him to be able to do this. He then felt the presence that was Rosie Starnik brushing against him, causing the wind to pick up around the sanctum and begin to blow a gale around them. Five Starnik's, five different powers flowing through his body. He wondered if he could handle it.

"Return to dark where Shadow's pick, you cannot have this Starnik…" All around him, ten more people suddenly vanished. The woman standing behind Aquila had one idea that could work. She shoved Aquila to the floor and readied her weapon, but Jonah's sensed it. He didn't move, he did nothing but let the power of the ancients guide his actions. The moment she fired, a green, electric dome appeared over Aquila's body as a shield. The bullet ricocheted back and into her chest, the power of Lupa standing over Aquila's body to act as a shield. This was incredible, the power he had, the uses he could have for it. By now there was something similar to a small tornado occurring inside this place, blowing leaves and roots from the walls around.

"Go now…" Jonah continued, another three vanishing. "And leave my Sight, and Take with you this Endless night." All but Sam now stood as the remaining vanished before his very eyes. This can't be happening, he didn't want to go back, he couldn't! Hell was exactly like he heard, but ten times more amplified. He couldn't go back to that heat and forever burning! HE WOULDN'T!

He wielded his gun and fired, the bullet soared across to the centre where Jonah stood and was about to strike him down. But Scott Starnik came before it and brought the bullet down. Well, his power anyway. Jonah moved for the first time and turned his head a little to the side and looked directly at him. "I am Light; I'm one too Strong to fight…" Sam was struck with an invisible force and made him slide back on his feet. "Return to Dark where Shadow's pick, you cannot have this Starnik…" Suddenly, the power of Dakota Starnik brought up an orange light behind him. Sam looked back, the wind causing some difficulty to see. Behind him, the exact same thing he saw when he first escaped from hell was now behind him again. He heard the screams of the unfortunates behind him, he saw the flames that covered the ravine all those people were in burning in the flames and screaming to be let out. In one last effort, he brought up his hand to shoot, only to find the gun swiped out of his hand. He looked to Jonah, standing either side of him were the five Starnik, none of their eyes glowing seeing as their powers was radiating through their descendant. "Go now…" Jonah continued when suddenly Scott held up his hand and caught him in an invisible snare. He couldn't move, his feet were frozen to the floor. He couldn't see them, but this was what Jonah sensed around him. "And Leave my Sight…" Myka had her focus on him and he slid back right to the edge. He could feel the heat burning the skin on his back already. "And Take with you this Endless night." The final words were spoken, and Myka gave him her last push. He was catapulted up and back with a deep, male scream as he was thrown back into the depths he came from. He fell, he burned, he died…again.

Aquila braved it, still crying a little as she lifted her head after uncovering her eyes. What was that? The wind began to die down, and she witnessed the hole, which swallowed up Sam, close in on itself to leave nothing behind. The wind faded to nothing and the seemingly alive mist shrouding and dancing around Jonah faded with it. But something still wasn't right. It was silent, the sun's light now beginning to shine through the ceiling, but Jonah still stood facing the same way he had been since this thing started. Everyone was gone, so what was with Jonah now? "J-Jonah?" She gulped while carefully crawling to her paws. She slowly walked around to him, finding something shocking. His eyes, not as bright, still were glazed over with green light that hid everything else. "Jonah? You did it." She couldn't believe what she just witnessed. But he didn't react. He stared at the wall still; he did nothing to acknowledge her. She began to worry again. "Jonah? Can you hear me?" She asked and giving him a slight nudge. "Jonah wake up." She began to plead and shaking him again a little. "Jonah please, snap out of it, come back to me..."

**BIG CHAPTER! Did anyone guess that was how he was going to do it? To be honest, I'm a little disappointed with myself, this chapter turned out better in my head then on here sadly. If only you guys were telepathic, it would make the story SO much better! So he did it, Sam's gone and everyone's safe once more. But what's up with Jonah? Why isn't he snapping out of his power fueled trance? Maybe the Starnik power was too much for him, maybe he did cost his life in the process. Review and read on to find out, because there's only one chapter left. If you want a shout out in my note I always leave at the end of my story, they it may be best to review and I'll remember. Thank you guys so much! :)**

**The FalconWolf**


	27. Chapter 27 The Rewards

Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 27: The Rewards

Telekinesis, Areokinesis, Wicca, conjuring and force-field, they were five of the many powers the Starnik possessed all together that Jonah used against his and his family's enemies. And out of them, there was one more gift up for offer, and he refused to let it pass. It wasn't the immortality of Rosie, nor the telepathy of Scott or the teleportation of Dakota and not even the power of healing from Myka, no, it was one of Lupa's main gifts she was known for. But how did he use it? How was he supposed to use it? It didn't feel like him that used all that power before, all the powers of the Starnik running through his body all at once. He'd admit it, it felt pretty amazing, all that power, it made him feel unstoppable. But he didn't care for that; his family had to be secured a future, and his species needed to be safe. But after everything he had done to get to this moment, he was granted a reward.

He lifted his head, unsure of how to feel about this moment he was in. Around him, a mist hovered across the floor like a cloud. It came to his chest height, but his paws weren't visible underneath it. Around him, the same mist thickened to form a clearing. He couldn't see more then ten feet before it was like looking into a wall of white and grey cloud. What was this place? "Hello?" He called out in a normal voice. "Where am I…Am I dead?" That was a possibility, maybe he was and his body couldn't handle the power. No, he couldn't be. He was sure he didn't die; he just used another power that came his way. So…what if it worked. "They're not here." He muttered as he looked around more, spinning on the spot several times to see nothing but bloody clouds! He stopped, looking ahead of him before looking down to the mist on the floor. Why couldn't this work? He did what he was supposed to do, he stopped Sam, he should have made his ancestors proud. So why couldn't he use this power to have a reward for his troubles?

He began to cry, this wasn't fair. A tear streaked out of his brown eye as he tried to fight against it. Why? But that soon turned into something else. He lifted his head, his sniffs ceasing when he saw someone. Standing at the very edge of the thick, wall like mist, a she-wolf sat and a male wolf stood just beside her. Her fur was black, a single flick of white on the end of her tail and nothing else on her other then her orange eyes. His fur was a dark, muddy brown with black streaks across his sides, accompanied with brown eyes and the same smile the she-wolf had. "Mom…" He gasped a little. "Dad?"

"Hello Jonah." He replied softly.

"It's good to be seen by you." She added with a single wave of her tail behind her.

"No, it's good to see you." Jonah said and taking one step forward toward before stopping again. "Is this a dream?"

"It's better then a dream my baby." She replied softly before getting up and beginning to walk towards him with her mate just behind her. "It's a dream come true for us." He could feel her; he became breathless as he felt her paw touch his cheek. She was really they, they both were. A second tear crept out his other eyes as his placed his paw over hers to confirm it really was there.

"Why did you leave me?" He asked tearfully, but he was strong enough to hold them back.

"We wouldn't if he had a choice." His father answered. "But we did, we left that world to always be with you in this one."

"We never left you alone a minute down there." She added. "We're all so proud of you up were, all of us." She smiled proudly while sliding her paw off his cheek.

"All of you?" He asked, wondering if he heard right.

It was then something stepped out from the mist just behind them, a human he knew very well of by now. "You've completed your task now Jonah." Scott Starnik answered, shortly before Rosie Starnik stepped out with him.

"You can't believe how amazed we are of your bravery." She said. He looked to all four of them; something told him that there was something more to all of this. "The amount of wolves you've brought piece to now, be proud of yourself."

"What are you talking about?" He asked back. She just smiled wider and stepped to the side as Scott did the other way. His parents did also and looked back to them just as the cloud began to move. It was like a wind came through this place, or two hands that came through and pushed away that cloud to reveal something spectacular. He stepped in-between his parents and even a little passed them as his jaw dropped at what was before him.

The clouds were like a stage curtain, and after they were pulled away before them stood an amazing site. Dozens and dozens of wolves stood behind it, talking to themselves in a fairly tight space, but all that stopping as Jonah suddenly became visible to them and they all smiled up at him. It was like he was now on the stage, he looked down at them as everything around him changed, the scenery changing from clouds to a place on earth. The clouds on the ground changed into earth and grass, the walls around them turned into trees in this giant clearing of wolves. He stood on a rise, looking down and across to them in this great plain filled with over one hundred wolves! He jaws dropped again as all these wolves stopped to smile up at him, some of them he knew. There was Lupa, Dakota and Myka Starnik with their mates and children, Blake was even here, the Spirit Guides of theirs, Sarah and Shadow, well, that's who he guessed anyway.

"Look at what you did Jonah." His mother then spoke as she came to his side. This wasn't like before; it was like he was back in the real world again. This was a haven and heaven for wolves. "You brought us all together again.

"Who are they?" He asked.

"They're our family." His father answered. "Many of them were here since the day they passed; some have been lost until you did what you did to make them know their loved ones were safe. You brought them all together."

"These are all our ancestors." His mother then added. "There's my parents, my siblings, this the entire Starnik family. And they've all come here to see and thank you."

"For me?" He looked to her. His was incredible.

"All for you." His father chuckled at his reaction. "We're so proud of you my boy."

He still couldn't believe all of this, all of these wolves had come together for him, some Starnik wolves and other's not, but all family none the less. Never had he seen a gathering like this, and all for him! _"Jonah…!"_ He heard a whisper. He looked behind him where it came from; wall of water somehow appeared there. It was Aquila's voice. His attention was now drawn to this, so he turned his back to them all and approached it. He looked through it like a window, seeing something else now mind-boggling. There was the Starnik Temple, he was stood there, his eyes glowing and showing nothing but green light. Aquila lay before him, crying and pleading his name and for him to come back. _"Jonah please, come back to me. Don't leave me."_ She cried.

She was terrified, that much was certain. The fear of being left alone to raise their pups apparent more then anything. "Go baby…" His mother spoke softly. "You have a family now, go be with them."

"But I just got you back." He looked back to them. "I don't want to lose you again." He didn't move, the temptation to go back to them and stay was all too massive.

"You won't." His father smiled again. "You will always know we're there when you want us to be."

"How?" He asked. What were they saying? That there was a way for him to see them still?

"You did it with your cousin, you can so it again with us." His mother answered. Quickly it was all shattered.

"He left his book behind." He sighed. "You guys didn't leave any artefact or piece of you behind."

"But you're wrong son." His father then replied. "We left behind the greatest treasure of all. You." _What?_

"You're the piece of us we left behind." She continued. "You're all we have left in that world." It made sense; he was of both of them, the only piece they could have left behind that belonged to both of them. So all this time, he had the power to see them again and he never knew? He used the energy of Blake's book to see him, yet he had the energy of his mother and father around him this whole time? How did he not notice?! "Go baby." She soothed motherly. "Go and be with your family."

He didn't want to leave, if he could stay here then he would. But deep down he knew he'd have to go at some point. He was using a power to come here, he wasn't dead. It was Aquila's cried again that made him look back to that rippling, water like wall and now feel a different pull. He stepped towards it, right to the point he could just take one more step to pass through it. He looked back, and it was then that each of the wolves before him through back their heads and howled, the loudness and the volume of it enough to start an earthquake. A howl of thanks, a howl of blessing and a howl of praise for his bravery and great courage. His mother and father finished early, the undress of wolves continuing while they smiled back at him one last time before he took that one step into the water. He did nothing afterwards, for it sucked him in slowly, giving his parents one last time to say how much they loved him before his world snapped back into place.

Aquila still cried, laying down and facing Jonah as he still stood, his body paralyzed and his eyes glowing still. She didn't know what was wrong with him. Was the power too much for him? Was this some power fuelled coma? Would he wake up again? It's been nearly an hour now, so why hasn't he woken up? She looked up to him again, his face still facing forwards and he didn't react. She waited, still nothing, so she laid her head back down on her paws. She couldn't do this, this couldn't be happening. Jonah had to be in her life, and her still to be born pups. She continued to cry, she'd wait as long as it takes for him to wake up again. He couldn't leave her, she wouldn't let him!

She suddenly felt something, a slight weight on the top of her head. She lifted her head just as fast as she felt to find Jonah moving away after kissing her head. She was greeted by his smile and shining teeth now instead of his eyes. "Jonah!" She whispered in relief. She practically climbed up and then wrapped her paws around him while he returned it. She now cried into his neck out of relief. He was going to be ok! "I thought I lost you." She muttered tearfully. He didn't answer; instead he opened his eyes after taking in her scent again and looked behind her. He saw the two figures he hoped he'd see. His mother sat there with his father standing beside her, both with the two proud smiles they've had ever since he was born.

"Don't worry…" He said and not taking his eyes off them. "Everything's going to be ok. Nothing's going to hurt us now." She then pulled away, keeping her paws around him and looking deep into his eyes and what felt to be his soul. "I love you Aquila."

"I love you so much Jonah." These were the words they shared before they brought their muzzles together and kissed. Everything was going to be alright, but one thing was needed to secure that…

**Two years, four months later**

"Quick, they're coming!" A young male ushered.

"Just act natural, they won't expect anything." Another added.

In the middle of this woodland, two young, adolescent wolves sat as two more approached them. They were casually sitting around in this part of the forest they lived in with their family, the great city of San Francisco sat in the background behind them. They were innocent, totally not up to anything they shouldn't be. One of the young wolves bore black fur with a white underside, accompanied with a dark brown streak of fur across the left side of his ribs. The other was more or less the same, other then a light brown streak across the right side of his ribs. Both bore the same brown eyes, the different coloured streak was the only difference in them, well, maybe other then one of them carrying a slightly whiter underside.

"Alright you two, what are you up to?" Their mother asked as she quickly saw their "innocent" face and instantly knew they were up to no good. Their father who stood beside her also knew what a guilty look looked like on them.

"Mom, really?" The one sat on the right asked. "Do you really think we'd do anything that you wouldn't ask us to do?"

"You insult us." The other added. "Just because we're sitting here enjoying the afternoon, doesn't mean that we…" Suddenly, there was a clap of lightening and the sound thunder, accompanied with a she-wolf appearing in the exact spot it struck.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed and jumping to her paws, her landing wasn't great. "You won't believe what Uncle Henry was like when he was dad's age! He was SO…boring. All he did was look at this family tree thing he spent years working on and..." The boys just sighed and growled in frustration and hung their heads. Instantly, she believed she knew what the cause of this was. "Mom and dad are right behind me right?" They just nodded in return. She turned around, coming to the faces of her parents. "Hi mom, hi daddy…I was just…"

"He was a real boring guy he was, wasn't he?" Jonah chuckled. The boys lifted their heads and his daughter's ears perked up a little more.

"Jonah!" Aquila nudged his side forcefully. "Be nice, that's no way to talk about the wolf that raised you."

"You're…you're not mad?" She asked, was this some trick?

"Layvah, you're gift is incredible. We just ask you don't use it without letting us know, ok?" Jonah replied and licking her cheek.

"Well I can't do it without those guys." She giggled back at his touch and pointing back to her brothers. "I need Blake to read someone's mind to get a memory image and then pass it on to Calvin who then can send me to that time and place. I can't do it myself; all I can do is come back."

"And you're the only one I can send remember, I can't send anyone else." Calvin added.

"How could I forget?" He chuckled.

"Remind me, this girl's getting to be quite forgetful." Aquila added after a moment. "How old are you three now."

"We just turned two mom!" Blake exclaimed. She couldn't have forgotten really, right?

"You really are getting old." Calvin then snickered with his siblings joining him.

The two adults looked to one another, a rather excited smile coming to their faces. This was the day they had waited nearly two and a half years for, and finally it was here. They looked back to their children, ready to present an idea to them. "Kids, we need you to do us a favour." Jonah smiled. The young wolves looked to one another, what could this be? What did their parents have in mind for them? They didn't have the faintest clue, and it was best they didn't know that their lives were now in their paws. Because now it was time for the next generation of Starnik to go back to save this family. It wasn't Jonah that saved this family; it wasn't him that brought peace to all those wolves he remembers seeing. It was these three young wolves that now stood before him that made that happen. Once again, it was family that saved the day, the next generation of Starnik, the next to pass down the stories of the Prophecy and…Descendants of the Starnik.

**I have nothing to say, I'm honestly getting a little emotional about all this. My Starnik Series, all grown up. I still remember when I first started chapter one of Prophecy of the Starnik.**

**The FalconWolf**


	28. Everyone Who Read Any Of My Stories Must

**Even if you didn't read this series, skip down to the third paragraph! It's vital you do!**

I still remember the day over a year ago that I started writing chapter one of The Prophecy of the Starnik. I really am getting emotional about all this, that my own story is now finally over. I thought it did two chapter ago, but now it's dawned on me that there really won't be another series after this. There was always the possibility after series four that their could be, and there was, but now there really isn't. This story can't go any further and now has come to the end of the road. I'm sad that the adventure has come to an end, six series and mini story, finished, all 976,000+ words completed. I'm amazed at the turn out, I never expected so much. I only wanted one simple story, which soon turned out to be four, then two more, and many more others, and it's all because of the support you guys have given me.

You guys have all been amazing, even if there have been ups and downs in both the stories and the reviews and PM's I've been getting. But that's nothing compared with with you've been saying. Someone said not long ago people should be writing FanFictions about my Starnik Series. I don't plan to, but I give anyone else my full permission to do that themselves, as long as they let me know so I can check it out too! I'd love to see what I might have inspired! Do what you wish! I have too many people to thank, too many that I've lost count and I can't make a list like i'd usually do. To everyone that's stuck with me over the last year I've been on this site, thank you all, I couldn't have done it without you.

The Starnik Series is over, but Bastard From North and I still have our story we're still working on together, check it out, it's Guardian's of Jasper, it's epic even if I say so myself! There's also...one more thing. There's a lot you guys need to know about me. And I suggest everyone who has read all my other stories read this part...

**The number one rule about The Falconwolf: Falcon lies!** _(Other then when I say this is the last of the Starnik Series, this really is the end and I'm being honest.)_

**Rule number two: Expect the unexpected with Falcon!**

**Rule three: Falcon deceives! Don't listen to anything he says!** _(Other then what he said in rule one!)_

Anyone who read my other stories and is reading this right now, please leave a review so I know you've seen it. Believe me, If you're as much of a supporter as you make out to be, you will. You won't regret it. ;)  
It's been an absolute pleasure. Until we meet again!

**The FalconWolf**

(_Owain Howard_)


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